Written by Marcin Grajewski

Tackling climate change caused by greenhouse gas emission is high on the European Union’s agenda as negotiations on a global climate deal enter their final phase ahead of the December international conference COP21 in Paris.

The EU’s policy on climate change is among the most ambitious in the world. It aims to limit global warming to 2º C above pre-industrial average temperature levels. To achieve this, the EU is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, while improving energy efficiency by 20% and increasing the share of renewable energy sources to 20% of final consumption.

This ‘At a glance’ note gathers recent studies by major international think tanks on EU climate policies and efforts to reach a climate agreement in Paris.

Studies and analyses

A person under umbrella
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Obama’s final Clean Power Plan: Merging strong climate goals with flexible implementation
Brookings Institution, August 2015

The final U.S. Clean Power Plan
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), August 2015

EU climate and energy governance: There’s more to it than meets the eye
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), July 2015

International climate cooperation is critical, but not for the reasons you might think
Foundation for European Progressive Studies, July 2015

Vision for Paris: Building an effective climate agreement
Center for Climate and Energy Solution, July 2015

An effective governance system for 2030 EU climate and energy policy: Design and requirements
Ecologic Institute, June 2015

Financing climate actions: Key to a Paris agreement?
Polish Institute of International Affairs, June 2015

Keeping Europe’s climate policy on track
Friends of Europe, June 2015

Climat : l’injustice faite au Sud
Institut français des relations internationales, June 2015

From Bonn to Paris: Navigating the course to an effective international climate agreement
Center for American Progress, June 2015

Addressing adaptation in a 2015 climate agreement
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, June 2015

The Emission Trading Scheme reform: Will the Commission’s proposal save the system?
European Policy Centre (EPC), May 2015

Modelling a market stability reserve in carbon markets
Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, May 2015

The EU and the Paris climate agreement
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, May 2015

Scanning the options for a structural reform of the EU Emissions Trading System
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), May 2015

How do stakeholders view the EU ETS? Diversity and differentiation of interests
POLIMP, May 2015

Paris 2015: What’s in it for the EU?
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), May 2015

China’s coming of age on climate change: Just in time for Paris?
Institut français des relations internationales, May 2015

Bringing it home: Making a global deal on climate change a reality
Fabian Society/Foundation for European Progressive Studies, May 2015

Cleaning the neighbourhood: how the EU can scrub out bad energy policy
Centre for European Reform (CER), April 2015

A turning-point in the EU’s climate policy? Carbon capture and the third period of the emissions trading scheme
Finnish Institute of International Affairs, April 2015

An analysis of allowance banking in the EU ETS
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, April 2015

La cumbre del clima en París
Real Instituto Elcano, April 2015

Erweitert den Emissionshandel!
Centrum für Europäische Politik, March 2015

First in the class, but not best in the class: The EU’s proposal for the 2015 climate conference in Paris
Heinrich Böll Stiftung, March 2015

State aid for energy: Climate action is more important than the single market
Centre for European Reform, February 2015

EU climate and energy policy 2030: Comments on an evolving framework
Centrum für Europäische Politik, February 2015

Paris 2015: Just a first step
Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, February 2015

Nationale Kraftwerksstilllegungen als Klimaschutzmaßnahme? Ziel, Wechselwirkungen, Verbraucherbelastung
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, January 2015

Implementing the EU 2030 Climate and Energy Framework – a closer look at renewables and opportunities for an Energy Union
Towards2030-dialogue, December 2014

Der neue EU-Rahmen für die Energie und Klimapolitik bis 2030: Handlungsoptionen für die deutsche Energiewende-Politik
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, December 2014

Después de Kyoto, Beijing: la UE ante las nuevas negociaciones del clima
Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, December 2014

Die Klima- und Energiepolitik der EU – Stand und Perspektiven
Centrum für Europäische Politik, November 2014

Governance challenges of the EU’s 2030 energy and climate framework
Istituto Affari Internazionali, November 2014