EU Climate Change Policy and Energy Factors －Background of the EU Leadership in the International Environmental Politics－

摘要

The EU adopted the targets for 2020 to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases: cutting greenhouse gases by at least 20% of 1990 levels (30% if other developed countries commit to comparable cuts), increasing use of renewables to 20% of total energy production, cutting energy consumption by 20% of projected 2020 levels- by improving energy efficiency. These targets are also aimed to take the initiative in the negotiation for the post-Kyoto framework. The EU needs the ambitious targets and achievements to be followed by the other countries, but these are influenced by the institutional conditions: almost all EU climate measures are left to the member states to implement, the energy policy competence is within the member states, the diversity on the economic situation including energy supply often interrupts the political agreements. The EU diplomatic success depends on the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases at the level of member states and the political will within the EU, which seem to be fragile in fact without any institutional guarantee.