The EU as an actor in global environmental politics

Abstract

This chapter analyses the interactions between the European Union and global environmental politics. It gives an overview of the EU’s status as a partner in international environmental negotiations and as a party to multilateral environmental agreements. Looking at how the EU functions internally in the context of international environmental negotiations, it discusses the internal division of competences, the external representation and the internal coordination process in the EU. It also reviews the roles the EU plays in international environmental negotiations, the impact the EU can have on global environmental politics and the future challenges confronting the EU as it seeks to exert leadership.