The European Union's Quest for International Climate Change Leadership: A Chronological Analysis of the Role of the EU in International Climate Change Politics
Author
Brommann, Lene
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2009
Abstract
Afhandlingen undersøger, hvordan EU har ageret i international klimapolitik fra 1990 til slutningen af 2008. EU omtales ofte som en leder på området, men lederskabet har ikke været stabilt. Målet er at forklare, hvorfor EU’s lederskab har svinget, selvom ambitionen om at være leder har været tydelig. Analysen anvender en rolle-teoretisk ramme, der skelner mellem to ting: rolleopfattelse (hvordan EU ser og formulerer sin rolle og sine mål) og rolleudøvelse (hvad EU faktisk gør og opnår internationalt). Ved at sammenholde disse to finder afhandlingen perioder, hvor der er et gab mellem ambition og handling. Ved at undersøge forholdene omkring dette gab peger afhandlingen på tre centrale forklarende faktorer. Tilsammen viser de, hvordan både interne forhold i EU og ydre betingelser i det internationale system kan få EU’s lederskab til at gå op og ned over tid. Et langsigtet blik gør det muligt at forstå disse bevægelser i EU’s engagement i klimapolitikken.
This thesis examines how the European Union acted in global climate politics from 1990 to late 2008. The EU is often described as a leader, yet its leadership has not been steady. The goal is to explain why EU leadership has fluctuated even though the EU has clearly aimed to lead. The analysis uses a role-theoretical framework that distinguishes between two elements: role conception (how the EU understands and articulates its role and goals) and role performance (what the EU actually does and achieves internationally). By comparing these, the thesis identifies periods with a gap between ambition and delivery. By exploring the factors around this gap, the thesis points to three main explanatory variables. Together, they show how internal dynamics within the EU and external conditions in the international arena can make EU leadership rise and fall over time. A long-term perspective helps make sense of these shifts in the EU’s engagement with climate politics.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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