AUTHORS: Jonathan Gaventa (E3G) – Manon Dufour (E3G) – Martin Nesbit – Kamila Paquel – Radostina Primova (Heinrich Boell Foundation)

The European Union is at a reflection point. Following a tumultuous decade of repeated crises, from the financial downturn to the Brexit vote, European leaders and the European Commission have kicked off a debate on the Future of Europe. This will consider the Union’s future focus, governance and operation. It should be a moment for innovation for climate governance, as well as for EU governance more broadly.

IEEP and E3G, with the support of the Heinrich Boell Foundation, have prepared a report on the role of climate policy in this debate. We conclude that climate action is a key test: if the direction of travel agreed in the Future of Europe process does not work for Europe’s energy and climate transition, it will have failed to meet Europe’s biggest societal challenge. Europe’s security and prosperity depends on a stable climate, successful adaptation and an orderly transition to a decarbonised economy. Climate policy can help to create a framing narrative for a renewed EU with an unambiguous, publicly supported sense of purpose.

For more information contact Martin Nesbit and Kamila Paquel.