Abstract
AbstractThis article explains the relatively successful performance of the European Union (EU) in climate and energy governance by two factors: (1) multi‐level reinforcement and (2) the mobilization of economic interests at different levels of governance through low‐carbon industrial policy. The article adds to the literature by further developing existing arguments on multi‐level reinforcement in climate and energy policy. We stress the point that economic co‐benefits of climate protection have been successfully mobilized at all levels of governance, including the sub‐national level, in recent times. This is illustrated by examples from pioneer countries as well as laggards and waverers in terms of national climate and energy policy. While it is far from certain whether the EU will indeed deliver the needed CO2 reductions to reach its internationally agreed targets, this paper, nevertheless, highlights why the EU system of climate governance remains relatively robust in light of the various challenges it currently faces. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Policy and Governance published by ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Highlights
LOBAL CLIMATE GOVERNANCE CAN BE CONCEIVED AS GOVERNANCE ACROSS LEVELS AND SECTORS, AS GOVERNANCE WITHIN AGmulti-level and multi-sectoral global system
Multi-level climate governance means essentially to activate the dynamic potential of each level and the interaction between all levels to achieve a global mobilization of actors
We propose that – parallel to processes of Europeanization – the sub-national level of European climate governance has increasingly evolved from a locus and enabler for grass roots, citizen-led climate and energy policy initiatives to an increasingly important arena of innovation and industrial policy and a key enabler of multi-level reinforcement
Summary
LOBAL CLIMATE GOVERNANCE CAN BE CONCEIVED AS GOVERNANCE ACROSS LEVELS AND SECTORS, AS GOVERNANCE WITHIN A. Schreurs and Tiberghien have proposed that multi-level reinforcement within this system of governance has played an important role in enabling Europe’s relative ambition in climate and energy policy compared to other large parties on the international scene This concept of multi-level reinforcement is applied in this article to provide an analytical lens for understanding policy innovation within the EU. It considers the dynamic interaction between the national and European level within the global system of multi-level climate and energy governance and includes the sub-national levels of policy-making. The article offers case examples from climate and energy policy in different European member states to illustrate its claims
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