Climate Change Policy in the European Union

The European Union (EU) has emerged as a leading governing body in the international struggle to govern climate change. The transformation that has occurred in its policies and institutions has profoundly affected climate change politics at the international level and within its 27 Member States. But how has this been achieved when the EU comprises so many levels of governance, when political leadership in Europe is so dispersed and the policy choices are especially difficult? Drawing on a variety of detailed case studies spanning the interlinked challenges of mitigation and adaptation, this volume offers an unrivalled account of how different actors wrestled with the complex governance dilemmas associated with climate policy making. Opening up the EU's inner workings to non-specialists, it provides a perspective on the way that the EU governs, as well as exploring its ability to maintain a leading position in international climate change politics.

Review of the hardback: 'Surveying the role of the European Union in relation to climate change policy is no easy task … How successful or otherwise the EU might be in this endeavour has a resonance across the world. This book provides an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to assess the possibilities and the pitfalls.' Lord Anthony Giddens, London School of Economics and Political Science, from the Foreword, Review of the hardback: 'The book will be of great interest not only to those interested in the future of the climate regime but also to those concerned with the future of the European Union more generally.' Oran R. Young, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Review of the hardback: 'This book is a must read for students and practitioners wishing to understand EU climate policy.' Miranda Schreurs, Director, Environmental Policy Research Centre, Freie Universitat Berlin, Review of the hardback: 'This timely and thought-provoking volume identifies cogently the policy challenges facing Europeans as regards climate change. As the authors carefully demonstrate, both well-focused policies and effectively implemented measures are needed if the European Union and its member states are together to make a difference.' Helen Wallace, Centennial Professor, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, Review of the hardback: '[A] unique overview and analysis [of] the complexity of EU climate change policy … succeeds in delivering a vast amount of information, explanation and ideas to reflect upon in future research and policy making … recommended to students of EU climate change law and politics, academics and policy makers alike.' European Energy and Environmental Law Review