EU climate policy as a driver of change

Abstract

The scientific imperative to address climate change is taken as accepted. The Paris Agreement succeeded in acknowledging universal recognition of the problem and the need for action by (almost) all countries, developed as well as develop-ing ones. The question for policymakers has been and remains, what policies will get us to where we need to be while maintaining jobs and growth? For the past 25 years the EU has been progressively building a toolbox of European policies to address climate change. To do this there needed to be accurate emissions data, excellent economic analysis, and the ability to learn through experience, adjusting existing policies if needed and establishing new policies when necessary. Learning-by-doing has been essential. The result since 1990 has been a reduction of emissions by 22% to 2016 and a clear decoupling of green-house emissions from economic growth in the European Union.