Assessing the EU’s 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework: Incremental change toward radical transformation?

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the changes to European Union (EU) climate and energy law brought about by the 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework. It explains the Framework’s background and objectives, and analyses its main legal instruments. It argues that the 2030 Framework incrementally develops and enhances EU climate law without revolutionizing it, advancing in particular its proceduralization. The article also explores the prospects for future change of the 2030 Framework towards more radical transformation in light of the European Green Deal and the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic.

Determinants of Decarbonisation in the Transformation of the Energy Sector: The Case of Poland

“…However, despite the abolition of subsidies, it tends to promote equality, while at the same time increasing the prices of energy and other goods, lowering the purchasing power of lower-income households, and leading to an industrialisation-based energy slowdown. Therefore, the savings obtained by abolishing subsidies must be used to compensate for the loss of income among the poor and strengthen the network's social security [32].…”

“…When it comes to renewable energy sources, irregular supply is a challenge for decarbonisation [32,33]. Complementary technologies that can respond to rapid changes in the supply of renewable energy and provide the necessary flexibility on the supply side include coal or gas plants, biomass plants (which are rarely suitably located), batteries and gas (which are still too expensive), and short-term demand response.…”

The Covid-19 crisis: a critical juncture for EU climate policy development?

“…The complementary targets on renewable energy and energy efficiency have been implemented through the Renewable Energy Directive and the Energy Efficiency Directive and related revisions. However, the fundamental overall design of the policy framework has been retained (Kulovesi and Oberthür 2020).…”

“…By 2018, both bottom-up and top-down politicisation of climate change and climate policy had grown to outweigh contestation, facilitating the adoption of new climate targets and policies (e.g. for 2030) (Kulovesi and Oberthür 2020).…”

“…It has significantly advanced its domestic climate policy, most recently through implementing its Climate and Energy Policy Framework for 2030 (e.g. Kulovesi and Oberthür 2020). Both its climate mitigation targets and the related legislative acquis have been at the forefront internationally and have served to underpin EU international climate leadership.…”