Climate policy integration in the EU’s energy sector

With the adoption of the so-called climate and energy package of the European Union in 2009, the integration of EU climate and energy policies is assumed. This paper examines that assumption in three steps. Firstly, the paper conceptualises and operationalises ‘climate policy integration’ with particular reference to the literature on environmental policy integration (EPI). Secondly, by examining sub-sectors of the EU’s energy policy as case studies, the paper establishes the extent of climate policy integration in these cases. These sub-sectors include the EU’s energy efficiency policies, and in particular the EU''s policy on the energy performance of buildings; and policies to promote the security of gas supply to the EU into the future. The case study analysis is carried out in the context of the EU’s medium-term goals to combat climate change, and its long-term goals to decarbonise the European economy. Thirdly, the paper derives factors and potential explanations for the levels of climate policy integration by examining the empirical data through the lens of a number of general theories of European integration. Thus, the paper provides empirical findings from the case study analysis to establish an indication of how ‘integrated’ are the EU’s climate and energy policies. In addition, the paper outlines the potential explanatory power of general theories of European integration for the study of climate policy integration.