Run-up to 2015: A moment of truth for EU external climate action?

Key Highlights - EU leaders arrive at the 2014 UN Climate Summit with a weakened negotiating position

- Despite ambitious funding targets and a range of foreign policy tools to push the climate change agenda, there are concerns that EU climate leadership is melting down

- EU leaders are struggling to find common ground on binding targets for renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions cuts and energy efficiency for 2030 - President Juncker’s move to merge climate action and energy under one single Commissioner has raised concerns that energy security will dominate EU’s agenda The coming months and year will set the course of our world’s future. Two major international agreements will be signed: a new legally binding global treaty on climate change and a new sustainable development framework to replace the Millennium Development Goals. Europe is set to play an important role in both negotiation processes. Since 2009, the EU has actively revamped its foreign policy architecture on climate action. It has made bold financial commitments to scale up climate financing up to 2020, and it has mainstreamed climate financing throughout its various budget instruments. At the same time, the EU has worked to refine its climate diplomacy strategy. Despite these efforts, Europe’s capacity for effective external climate action remains imperfect. Furthermore, the changes introduced by the new President of the EU Commission have triggered alarm and cast doubt on the EU’s commitment to lead the global battle against climate change at this pivotal point in history. Read Briefing Note 67 Photo Courtesy of European Parliament