With the Green Deal, the European Union (EU) has not only significantly increased the ambition of its climate policy in recent years, but it has also added an international dimension to European domestic climate policy. In fact, numerous recently adopted legal acts directly or indirectly affect international partners. Nevertheless, the internal and external dimensions of climate policy are not systematically interlinked in the new European Commission, and there is little strategic diplomatic support for the measures. In view of the increased importance of competitiveness and geopolitical constellations, there is an opportunity for a new strategy process. This could help EU institutions and member states coordinate the external dimension and achieve a meaningful advancement of European climate policy.
With the new European Commission having taken office in December 2024, concrete preparations for the next phase of EU climate policy are gathering pace. Since incoming US President Donald Trump will most likely reverse many of the Biden administration’s climate policy initiatives, expectations are once again focussed on the EU’s course in this area. However, over the past years, the climate policy landscape has also changed significantly on this side of the Atlantic. After the European elections in 2019, then new Commission President Ursula von der Leyen initiated the European Green Deal 100 days after taking office by passing the “European Climate
Law” (Regulation 2021/1119). In addition to substantial increases in legally binding emission reduction targets for 2030 and 2050, further developments to the existing governance architecture were also agreed during the last legislative period, despite major crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the implementation of the Green Deal, which requires the support of member states as well as the Commission, is still to come. It is now taking place in a political environment that has fundamentally changed and offers fewer opportunities for ambitious climate policy.”
About the author:
Ole Adolphsen has been a research associate at SWP’s Global Issues Division since 2023.
Jule Könneke has been an associate at SWP since 2023.
Dr. Felix Schenuit has been a research Associate at SWP’s Research Division EU/Europe since 2021.