Climate Change Policy in the European Union: Confronting the Dilemmas of Mitigation and Adaptation?

by Edited by Andrew Jordan , Dave Huitema , Harro van Asselt , Tim Rayner , Frans Berkhout

• ISBN13: 9780521208901
• ISBN10: 0521208904
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-03-03
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

The European Union (EU) has emerged as a leading governing body in the international struggle to govern climate change. The transformation that has occurred in its policies and institutions has profoundly affected climate change politics at the international level and within its 27 Member States. But how has this been achieved when the EU comprises so many levels of governance, when political leadership in Europe is so dispersed and the policy choices are especially difficult? Drawing on a variety of detailed case studies spanning the interlinked challenges of mitigation and adaptation, this volume offers an unrivalled account of how different actors wrestled with the complex governance dilemmas associated with climate policy making. Opening up the EU's inner workings to non-specialists, it provides an unparalleled perspective on the unique way that the EU governs, as well as exploring its ability to maintain a leading position in international climate change politics.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

List of contributors

List of abbreviations

Introduction and Overview

Climate change policy in the European Union: an introduction

The Evolving Governance Context: The European Union

Governing the European Union: policy choices and governance dilemmas

The evolution of climate policy in the European Union: an historical overview

Climate Policy in the European Union: Understanding the Past

Burden sharing: distributing burdens or sharing efforts?

Renewable energies: a continuing balancing act?

Emissions trading: the enthusiastic adoption of an 'alien' instrument?

Adapting to a changing climate: an emerging European Union policy?

Adaptation in the water sector: will mainstreaming be sufficient?

The evolution of climate change policy in the European Union: a synthesis

Climate Policy in the European Union: Future Challenges

Exploring the future: the role of scenarios and policy exercises

Governance choices and dilemmas in a warmer Europe: what does the future hold for the European Union?

Climate Policy in the European Union: Retrospect and Prospect

Governing climate change in the European Union: understanding the past and preparing for the future

Index

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