By Kristin Archick, Jane A. Leggett and Kezee Procita authored this two-page CRS InFocus report: 'EU Climate Action and Implications for the United States'.
Download CRS_InFocus_EU_Climate_Actions_USA_14Feb2020
European Union: A Key Actor
The European Union (EU) has sought to play a leading role on international climate action for decades. The EU and the United States worked closely to negotiate the 2015 Paris Agreement (PA) to combat greenhouse gas (GHG)-induced climate change. The EU reacted negatively to PresidentTrump’s 2017 decision to withdraw the United States from the PA, scheduled to take effect in November 2020. The EU remains committed to the PA and seeks to enhance its climate policies in light of increasing political pressure throughout Europe for more robust action. Still, the EU faces challenges in reaching consensus on more ambitious EU-wide measures. Despite U.S. withdrawal from the PA, many Members of Congress are interested in the possible geostrategic and economic implications of climate change and international mitigation efforts. (Table 1 compares selected U.S. and EU GHG emissions indicators.) U.S.-EU frictions on climate policies also may affect broader U.S.- EU relations. (See CRS In Focus IF10668, Potential Implications of U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, by Jane A. Leggett.)
EU Climate Action Policies
In the EU context, environmental policy—including climate action—is an area of shared competency in which both the EU and its 27 member states may adopt legally binding acts. All EU members must abide by agreed EU laws and regulations on climate action, and national laws or policies must not conflict with or undercut common EU measures.
Cutting to the chase...
Implications for U.S.-EU Relations
EU efforts to step up its climate action policies and elements of the proposed European Green Deal may exacerbate U.S.-EU tensions. The EU has pledged that it will not conclude future free trade agreements with countries that are not parties to the PA, creating another potential friction point in already fraught U.S.-EU trade talks. Some analysts suggest that possible EU carbon border adjustments could increase costs for U.S. firms doing business in Europe. U.S.-EU frictions also may mount if a perceived lack of U.S. engagement and cooperation on climate issues impedes the EU’s ability to convince other countries to pursue more robust GHG-mitigation measures.
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