In recent years climate change has emerged as an issue of central political importance while the EU has become a major player in international climate change politics. How can a 'leaderless Europe' offer leadership in international climate change politics - even in the wake of the UK's Brexit decision?

This book, which has been written by leading experts, offers a critical analysis of the EU leadership role in international climate change politics. It focuses on the main EU institutions, core EU member states and central societal actors (businesses and environmental NGOs). It also contains an external perspective of the EU's climate change leadership role with chapters on China, India and the USA as well as Norway. Four core themes addressed in the book are: leadership, multilevel and polycentric governance, policy instruments, and the green and low carbon economy. Fundamentally, it asks why we have EU institutional actors, why certain member states and particular societal actors tried to take on a leadership role in climate change politics and how, if at all, have they managed to achieve this?

This text will be of key interest to scholars, students and practitioners in EU studies and politics, international relations, comparative politics and environmental politics.

About the Author

Rudiger K.W. Wurzel is Professor of Comparative European Politics and Jean Monnet Chair in European Union Studies in the School of Law and Politics, University of Hull.

James Connelly is Professor of Political Theory, School of Law and Politics, University of Hull.

Duncan Liefferink is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Sciences of the Environment, Institute of Management Research, at Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Reviews

'This is a clear, well written, sophisticated and comprehensive assessment of the EU's role in international climate change politics. Bringing together the leading experts, it explores all the various facets of this role - including how it is perceived by others - and manages to do so in a theoretically informed way that adds to our understanding of leadership in in international politics. I recommend it wholeheartedly.' - Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs, King's College London, UK

'This book addresses a topic of high political and academic relevance, based on a highly innovative analytical framework - a standard read for anyone interested in international climate change politics.' - Christoph Knill, Professor of Empirical Theories of Politics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany

'This volume makes substantial contributions to our understanding of the EU roles in global politics, Europe's ability to provide global leadership, and the impediments to such leadership. Rather than simply assume or assert EU leadership, authors explore different leadership types and styles, enabling analyses that find clear leadership success in some cases and circumstances, while identifying failure and limitations elsewhere. The book should be read by scholars, students and European policymakers alike.' - Stacy VanDeveer, Professor of Political Science, University of New Hampshire

Book Information
ISBN 9781138361911
Author Rudiger K.W. Wurzel
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 453g