The European Union’s Declining Leadership Role in Climate Change Policy

Throughout the 2000s the EU has been the undisputed global leader in climate action. But since 2012 we have seen the EU abandoning this initiative role by taking climate action averse decisions, including “fracking” licenses, the watering down of the 2030 goals (in comparison to the 2020 goals) as well and the creation of “sunk assets” planning for an oversupply of gas by new huge gas pipeline projects, LNG terminals and gas storages. The question arises which kind of dynamics and developments triggered this shift in the EU’s previous status as an agenda setter focused on renewables and emissions reduction. In trying to answer this question, the paper will look into the “security of supply” concerns of the Central and Eastern European states as well as EU members’ concern about the EU’s global competitiveness, both factors restraining the Commission achieving the 2050 goals. Also the interaction between the Council and the Commission will be analysed in detail. As an external factor contributing to the Commission’s new emphasis on gas as energy provider, I will use the approach of “regulatory capture” to evaluate the effect of lobbying as exemplified by the gas industry lobbying.