Examining EU Policies for Managing Conflict of Interests in the Field of Climate Change

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Regional Studies, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 MA. in Regional Studies, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Climate change is one of the challenges that threaten human life on the planet, and the EU member states are not exempt from this. The current research aims to answer the question, how has the European Union's policy been to solve the challenge of conflict of interests in the issue of climate change? In response, this hypothesis can be proposed that the European Union has adopted an institutional approach to deal with climate change, based on which policy-making institutions have adopted ambitious policies, considering the risks of climate change and the differences between member states simultaneously. Legislators have provided the necessary legal framework and managed the conflict of interests caused by climate change by trying to balance economic and environmental interests with the support of policymakers. Multi-level governance theory has been used to examine the hypothesis and the intrinsic case studies method is used for its test. The result of this research shows that the European Union has dealt with climate change by creating coordination between different member states and considering the economic conditions of weaker countries.

Keywords


  1. Aaheim , H. Absjorn., & Froyn, Camilla Bretteville. (2004). Sectoral Opposition to Carbon Taxes in the EU – a Myopic Economic Approach. International Environmental Agreements volume, 279–302. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10784-004-1156-5
  2. Alizadeh, Masoud, Yousefzadeh, Seyed Mahmood., & Bagheri, Farhad. (2019). Environmental liability system in the EU with due consideration to the 2004 directive. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 49(3), 823-835. doi:10.22059/jplsq.2018.253688.1693. [Persian]
  3. Ardakani , Mohamad Zaker, and Alireza Arashpuor. 2022. "Evaluating Legal Methods for the Settlement of International Environmental Disputes." The Public Law Studies Quarterly 421-437. doi:https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2020.289491.2174. [Persian]
  4. Benzie, Magnus., Carter, Timothy R., Carlsen, Henrik., & Taylor, Richard. (2019). Cross-border climate change impacts: implications for the European Union. Regional Environmental Change, 763-776. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-018-1436-1
  5. Bergamaschi, Luca., Mabey, Nick., Born, Camilla., & White, Adam. (2019). Managing Climate Risk for a Safer Future-Anew Resilience Agenda for Europe. E3G.
  6. Bohr, Jeremiah. (2016). The ‘climatism’ cartel: why climate change deniers oppose market-based mitigation policy. Environmental Politics, 812-830. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2016.1156106
  7. Braun, Mats. (2019). The Czech Republic’s approach to the EU 2030 climate and energy framework. Environmental Politics, 1105-1123. doi:10.1080/09644016.2019.1625139
  8. Burgers, Laura. (2020). Should Judges Make Climate Change Law? Transnational Environmental Law, 9(1), 55-75. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S2047102519000360
  9. Council of the European Union. (2023, May 03). Financing the climate transition. Retrieved from Council of the European Union: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/climate-finance/
  10. Daniell, Katherine., & Kay, Adrian. (2017). Multi-level Governance: An Introduction. In Katherine. Daniell, & Adrian. Kay, Multi-level Governance: Conceptual challenges and case studies from Australia (pp. 3-32). Australian National University Press. Retrieved from http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/30869
  11. Drazkiewicz, Ania . 2018. EU countries off target in fighting climate change. June 17. https://caneurope.org/eu-countries-off-target-in-fighting-climate-change/.
  12. Duijndam, Sem., & Beukering, Peter Van. (2020). Understanding public concern about climate change in Europe, 2008–2017: the influence of economic factors and right-wing populism. Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), 353-367. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14693062.2020.1831431
  13. Eckerberg, Katarina., & Joas, Marko. (2004). Multi-level Environmental Governance: a concept under stress? Local Environment, 9(5), 405-412. doi:10.1080/1354983042000255315
  14. EUR-Lex. (2023, May 06). Precautionary principle. Retrieved from EUR-Lex: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/glossary/precautionary-principle.html#:~:text=The%20precautionary%20principle%20is%20an,should%20not%20be%20carried%20out.
  15. European Commission. (2019, December 11). The European Green Deal Retrieved from European Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_19_6691
  16. European Commission. (2020, March 4). Commission proposal for a Regulation: European Climate Law. Retrieved from European Commission: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1588581905912&uri=CELEX:52020PC0080
  17. European Commission. (2021a, 03 05). National energy and climate plans Retrieved from European Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-strategy/national-energy-climate-plans_en
  18. European Commission. (2021b, March 24). Coal regions in transition. Retrieved from European Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/oil-gas-and-coal/EU-coal-regions/coal-regions-transition_en
  19. European commission. (2023a, May 06). Principles of EU environmental law. Retrieved from European commission: https://www.era-comm.eu/Introduction_EU_Environmental_Law/EN/module_2/module_2_9.html#:~:text=The%20prevention%20principle%20aims%20to,environmental%20damage%20before%20it%20happens.
  20. Euroepan Commission. (2023b, April 19). Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Retrieved from European Commission: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/green-taxation-0/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism_en
  21. European Commission. (2023c, April 18). International climate finance. Retrieved from European Commission: https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/international-action-climate-change/international-climate-finance/transparency-international-climate-finance_en
  22. European Commission. (2023d, April 18). Transparency of international climate finance. Retrieved from European Commission: https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/international-action-climate-change/international-climate-finance/transparency-international-climate-finance_en
  23. European Economic and Social Committee. (2017, October 19). Climate justice (own-initiative opinion). Retrieved from European Economic and Social Committee: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/our-work/opinions-information-reports/opinions/climate-justice-own-initiative-opinion
  24. European Environment Agency. (2023, May 08). What are the climate change impacts in Europe? Retrieved from European Environment Agency: https://www.eea.europa.eu/help/faq/what-are-the-climate-change#:~:text=Europe%20has%20been%20warming%20at,greenhouse%20gas%20emissions%20prove%20effective.
  25. European Parliament. (2023, April). The principle of subsidiarity. Retrieved from European Parliament: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/7/the-principle-of-subsidiarity#:~:text=Definition,in%20relation%20to%20central%20government.
  26. European Union. (2012). Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Brussels: European Union. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:12012E/TXT:en:PDF
  27. European Union. (2020, April 08). Retrieved from International agreements and the EU’s external competences: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/international-agreements-and-the-eu-s-external-competences.html
  28. European Union. (2021). Regulation (EU) 2021/1119. 30: June.
  29. European Union. (2023a, May 08). Types of institutions and bodies. Retrieved from European Union: https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/institutions-and-bodies/types-institutions-and-bodies_en
  30. European Union. (2023b, June 19). Retrieved from Principle of Proportionality: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/glossary/principle-of-proportionality.html
  31. Farrokhi, Rahmat. 2017. The European Union and Judicial Protection of the Environment. Tehran: Khorsandi. [Persian]
  32. Foraise, Declan. (2019, June 21). Eastern European Countries Say No To Carbon Neutrality Without Compensation. Retrieved from ecosystemmarketplace: https://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/articles/eastern-european-countries-block-carbon-neutrality-pledge/
  33. Di Gregorio, Monica, Fatorelli, Leandra., Paavola, Jouni., Locatelli, Bruno., Pramova, Emilia., Nurrochmat, Dodik. Ridho., . . . Kusumadewi, Sonya. Dyah. (2019). Multi-level governance and power in climate change policy networks. Global Environmental Change, 54, 64-77. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.10.003
  34. Higham, Catherine., Setzer, Joana., Narulla, Harj., & Bradeen, Emily. (2023). Climate change law in Europe, What do new EU climate laws mean for the courts? Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy.
  35. Kadkhodaei, Abbasali., & Ahadi Karnagh, Ali. 2021. "The Direct Effect of International Agreements in European Union Law." The Public Law Studies Quarterly 1-16. doi:https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2018.252257.1672. [Persian]
  36. Karimi, Mahdi. (2021). The EU’s Environmental Policy Making. Political Organizing of Space, 3(3), 205-219. Retrieved from http://psp.modares.ac.ir/article-42-55793-en.html. [Persian]
  37. Kekeya, J. (2021). Qualitative case study research design: The commonalities and differences between collective, intrinsic and instrumental case studies. Contemporary PNG Studies, 36, 28–37. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.356219476950585
  38. Lepage, Corinne. (2023, May 08). Climate justice in Europe: The growing role of courts. Retrieved from Groupe d’études géopolitiques: https://geopolitique.eu/en/articles/climate-justice-in-europe-the-growing-role-of-courts/
  39. London school of economics and political science. (2022, July 18). What is the polluter pays principle? Retrieved from London school of economics and political science: https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/what-is-the-polluter-pays-principle/#:~:text=The%20'polluter%20pays'%20principle%20is,human%20health%20or%20the%20environment.
  40. Madani, Kaveh, interview by Iranian Students Association at EPFL. 2020. Conversation with students abroad (December 11). [Peraisa]
  41. Niknami, Roxana., & Sabbaghian, Ali. (2019.05.19). Scientific meeting on "Yellow Vest Movement: Origins and Demands". Retrieved from the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran: https://lawpol.ut.ac.ir. [Persian]
  42. Oberthür, Sebastian., & Dupont, Claire. (2021). The European Union’s international climate leadership: towards a grand climate strategy? Journal of European Public Policy, 1095-1114. doi:10.1080/13501763.2021.1918218
  43. Poor Hashemi, Seyed Abbas., Taghavi , Loabat., & Parande Motlagh, Azam. (2014). Utilization of renewable energy resources in European Union’s Legal System. Human & Environment, 12(3), 37-44. Retrieved from https://he.srbiau.ac.ir/article_6836.html?lang=en. [Persian]
  44. Poortinga, W., Fisher, S., Böhm, G., Steg, L., Whitmarsh, L., & Ogunbode, C. (2018, September). European Attitudes to Climate Change and Energy. European Social Survey, 4.
  45. Political Club. (2023, 09 28). Multilevel governance in the European Union and lessons for supranational councils in Iran. Retrieved from Sharif Governance Think Thank: https://gptt.ir/sources/%D8%AD%DA%A9%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%86%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%B7%D8%AD-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%BE%D8%A7-%D9%88-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B3-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B. [Persian]
  46. Russel, Duncan., Castellari, Sergio., Capriolo, Alessio., Dessai, Suraje., Hildén, Mikael., Jensen, Anne., . . . Tröltzsch, Jenny. (2020). Policy Coordination for National Climate Change Adaptation in Europe: All Process, but Little Power. Sustainability, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/su12135393
  47. Sarvestani, Abbas. (2022). The EU role in Global Environmental Governance, Insights for IR.Iran (Phd Thesis). University of Tehran: Tehran. [Persian]
  48. Setzer, Joana., Narulla, Harj., Higham , Catherine., & Bradeen, Emily. (2022). Climate Litigation in Europe. Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment. Retrieved from https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Climate-litigation-in-Europe_A-summary-report-for-the-EU-Forum-of-Judges-for-the-Environment.pdf
  49. Skovgaard , Jakob. (2014). EU climate policy after the crisis. Environmental Politics, 1-17. doi:10.1080/09644016.2013.818304
  50. Strupczewski, Jan., & Gabriela , Baczynska. (2019, December 12). EU leaves Poland out of 2050 climate deal after standoff. Retrieved from Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-eu-idUSKBN1YG01I
  51. Veinla, Hannes. (2004). Determination of the Level of Environmental Protection and the Proportionality of Environmental Measures in Community Law. Juridicia International, 89-98. Retrieved from https://www.juridicainternational.eu/public/pdf/ji_2004_IX_89.pdf