Is the European Union a leader in environmental policy? The case of climate change

Abstract

In the era of complex and evident environmental problems that pose some of the most serious threats to international security and the well-being of humankind, environmental leadership has emerged as a prominent concept due to the leaders’ indispensable contribution in improving the deteriorating environment. The European Union is considered as an influential actor in environmental politics and policy-making across its member states, around its periphery, and globally yet is it distinguished as an environmental leader? Building on the diverse analytical and empirical literature, this thesis looks into the European Union performance in global efforts to tackle environmental issues, specifically in climate change, in order to evaluate if it could be considered as a leader. The main focus of this study is to present theoretical insights into the concept of leadership in international relations, analyze the European Union’s driving forces in obtaining a leading role, investigate the EU’s environmental policymaking process and its characteristics, and assess its performance in the area of climate change. This thesis seeks to answer the following questions (1) has the EU emerged as a leader in environmental issues, specifically in climate change, (2) what motivates the EU to do so, and (3) what has it been doing to keep up with such position. This contribution will allow the discovery of possible factors that determine the EU’s international performance and the study of challenges and opportunities the EU would face on its leadership journey.