Carbon Critical

The fine print for Europe’s ambitious reduction goal—90 percent by 2040—is on the line in Europe’s upcoming elections. 

For some, the latest climate summit has brought a breakthrough given the commitment to move away from fossil fuels. In fact, the record is more mixed.

Countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom have enshrined climate goals into national law. What happens if they miss them?

Canadian wildfires recently turned the sky above New York City into a gloomy red. Particles in the air, however, have the beneficial side-effect of cooling planet earth down. Climate scientists are looking into them as an emergency measure.

Germany’s Greens have been forced to compromise on many of their core beliefs while in government. To maintain their electoral support, they need to continue to combine pragmatism with climate-centered policies.

Climate change is more than just a collective action problem. In some cases, geopolitical competition can even help reduce emissions.

So much attention has been paid to the US climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, that the EU’s own, larger climate package has flown under the radar.

EU trade officials might be up in arms about aspects of the US Inflation Reduction Act, but it offers the best opportunity for transatlantic climate cooperation in years.

In its attempt to drastically reduce its dependency on Russian oil and gas, Europe is turning to Africa. But the move is problematic, as producing fossil fuels on the continent presents its own challenges.

There was no alternative for Germany to buying gas from Vladimir Putin, until there was. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reminded policymakers in Berlin that emergency action in the energy sector is possible.

Intra-coalition infighting, questions about EU policy, a mismatch between targets and policies—no sector better represents the climate challenges facing Germany’s government than transport.

In the days since the COP26 climate summit, it’s become clear that international conferences can only do so much to determine national climate policy. That’s no reason to despair.