At the dawn of a new political cycle, the European Union is preparing for the global climate conferences of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP29, taking place this autumn in Baku (Azerbaijan), and COP30 in Belém (Brazil) in 2025, where all States will have to update their ‘nationally determined contributions’ (NDCs) (see EUROPE 13422/1). These deadlines are an incentive for the EU to step up its climate and energy diplomacy efforts.
In a report published on Tuesday 30 July, the NGO coalition CAN Europe reiterates the importance of these climate and energy partnerships for the EU, which it says are a “critical element of the external dimension of the European Green Deal”.
CAN Europe supports an approach to green diplomacy aimed at strengthening governance and harmonising new and old partnerships, while involving civil society from the outset of negotiations.
The note also recommends that “gender justice is mainstreamed in all policy strategies and dialogues, including at local level”.
In addition, a joint report by the Clingendael Institute and the think tank E3G, published on Monday 29 July, calls for an ambitious transformation of the EU’s energy policy to strengthen its industrial competitiveness and economic stability.
The document states that “the EU’s understanding of energy security should look beyond security of fossil fuel supply to focus on [...] a more flexible, decentralised, resilient and sustainable system”.
This vision is in line with CAN Europe’s recommendations, which advocate “strengthening governance” and promoting coordinated processes that reflect the interests of all stakeholders.
Indeed, for the Clingendael Institute and E3G, the transformation towards a sustainable energy system requires not only more resilient and decentralised infrastructure, but also robust governance to coordinate these complex changes.
The 8th session of the Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) was held on 22 and 23 July in Wuhan (China).
The MoCA brought together ministers and officials from over 30 countries to discuss the urgent measures to be taken in response to the climate crisis. Discussions focused on revising and strengthening the NDCs before 2025, increasing financial support for developing countries and developing renewable energies.
However, problems remain. For the European Commission, it is vital to improve coordination between the various players in order to overcome political and economic divergences.
Transparency and accountability in the monitoring of the commitments made therefore remain essential to ensure progress, a concern that echoes CAN Europe’s calls for better governance and proactive climate diplomacy. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys and Nithya Paquiry)