The European Green Deal, drafted in 2019, represents a significant shift in European policy, to make Europe the first continent to be carbon neutral by 2050. Enshrined in the European Climate Law, this ambitious agenda calls for significant changes inside the European Union as well as in its relations with the rest of the world.
The EU seeks to benefit its citizens economically and environmentally in light of its climate pledge. The EU's foreign and diplomatic ties with the rest of the world, as well as the EU's place in the evolving international arena, will be significantly impacted by the Green Deal and climate policy. Therefore, an analysis and evaluation of these consequences are required.
Global dynamics both impact and are influenced by the EU's decarbonisation efforts, which are summed up in the Fit for 55 package of the Green Deal. These efforts are not isolated and instead span a wide range of intersectoral and transcontinental undertakings. Furthermore, to accomplish significant climate action and advance a fair global transition, the EU—which contributes less than 10% of global emissions—must participate in international affairs. If not, our efforts to transform our supply chains could be futile on a worldwide level.
There are three main international components to the EU's strategy:
- Leading the global climate agenda
- Promoting industrial transformation to guarantee technical leadership in clean energy industries
- Encouraging green transition across the world
The EU's interactions with companies that generate fossil fuels are significantly impacted by the Green Deal. The broad use of green technology will lessen the need to import fossil fuels, which will lower the cost of energy supply given Europe's historical reliance on this sector. For instance, simulations from the European Commission projected a more moderate reduction in petrol imports of 13–19% between 2015 and 2030 and 58–67% after 2030, and a decline in oil imports of 23-25% till 2030 and 78–79% after 2030.
The EU's relationships with major hydrocarbon producers will change dramatically as a result of its reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Depending on their production costs and level of reliance on EU markets, each country will be impacted by this change differently. Producers in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who have lower production costs, could be able to maintain their competitiveness, but producers in North Africa, who have greater expenses and unstable political environments, would suffer more. In order to prevent sociopolitical instability in these areas, which might potentially have security ramifications for Europe, including a worsening of the migratory issue, the EU must carefully manage these developments.
To preserve ties with these nations and promote a smooth and controlled transition on the global stage, it is vital to take into account alternate alliances and plans. For example, there is little doubt that the two coastlines of the Mediterranean can work together to establish a safe and sustainable hydrogen economy, including via sharing standards and technology.
The EU will become more reliant on vital raw commodities like cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements as it moves towards renewable energy. Electric cars and renewable energy technologies depend on these materials. The EU now depends largely on imports from nations like China, which controls the majority of the world's supply chain for these resources.
In order to lessen this reliance, the EU has created plans to guarantee a steady flow of vital raw resources. Proposed in 2023, the Critical Raw Materials Act seeks to improve recycling and reuse, diversify sources, and expedite the EU mining project approval process. In addition, to guarantee a more robust supply chain, the EU is forming new alliances with nations endowed with abundance of these resources, including Rwanda.
The EU faces a big threat from China's supremacy in green technology, especially electric batteries and solar panels. Europe is still largely dependent on Chinese production despite initiatives like the establishment of the European Battery Alliance in 2017. As part of its current policy, the EU is working to combat unfair trade practices, promote innovation, and increase its industrial capacity. In this context, the EU's Green Deal Industrial Plan, which was introduced in 2023, emphasises the development of a supportive legislative framework, better finance availability, talent enhancement, and the preservation of open trade for supply chains. Derived on the Green Deal, the latest Net Zero Industry Act targets important industries where Europe hopes to establish global significance and minimise reliance.
The EU was a major force in establishing goals for energy efficiency and renewable energy at the COP28 in Dubai. It also actively promoted more climate funding and decreased the use of fossil fuels. In the future, the EU has to set a good example by showing that a green transition is both possible and advantageous. This entails meeting its own decarbonisation goals and aiding international initiatives by transferring technology and providing climate money.
A brave and essential step towards a sustainable future is the European Green Deal. However, the EU's capacity to combine its climate policies with its approaches to international commerce and foreign policy will determine how successful it is. Europe hopes to be a leader in the transition, actively participate in international discussions, and provide a viable example for other nations by promoting climate policy to its own foreign policy agenda. The EU can only be a respectable partner if it can really achieve the goals it has set for itself. It can only demonstrate to others that decarbonisation is feasible by carrying out its own.
Bibliography
Fabrègue, B.F.G. (2024) The green deal and why the EU must think globally, Blue Europe. Available at: https://www.blue-europe.eu/analysis-en/short-analysis/the-green-deal-and-why-the-eu-must-think-globally/
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