Overview

Climate policy is today a significant area of EU governance, providing important framework conditions for many industries. But how has EU climate policy developed? This book offers structured, comparative case studies of the development of four central climate policies: emissions trading systems, renewables, carbon capture and storage, and energy policy for buildings, examining the intriguing similarities and differences in how these have taken shape. Combining sociological New Institutionalism and political science theories in a novel and engaging way, Elin Lerum Boasson and Jørgen Wettestad explore and explain the history of EU climate policy. What emerges are fascinating stories - of skilled entrepreneurs who have managed to create and exploit political windows of opportunity, and of more long-term path-dependent developments. Drawing on more than 60 interviewees, the authors present accounts never told before, providing a valuable and timely contribution to our knowledge of environmental management and EU integration. This book is a must-read for all those seeking to understand the driving forces in EU climate policy and recognize its prospects for the future.

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9781409403555

Table of Contents

Reviews

'In this timely contribution, Boasson and Wettestad explain the development of four key policy pillars of the EU's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: carbon emissions trading, the promotion of renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, and energy efficiency in buildings. The book is theoretically and empirically of the highest quality.' Miranda A. Schreurs, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany 'This book significantly advances our knowledge about EU climate policy not least by shedding light on the role of industry, policy interaction and external factors in policy development as well as through rich case studies, including on the central but understudied aspects of energy efficiency in buildings and renewable energy promotion. There can be no doubt that the book will take an important place in any collection on EU climate policy.' Sebastian Oberthur, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium 'What the EU does and does not do in relation to climate change matters hugely to those who live within and well outside Europe. By drawing together a mass of fresh empirical evidence and carefully relating it to well-known policy theories, this book manages to derive some genuinely fresh and insightful explanations as to why the EU acts in the rather puzzling way it does. In what is now an increasingly crowded field of research, it stands out for its depth and quality of scholarship.' Andrew Jordan, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, UK 'There is no shortage of literature on EU climate policies, an area of European studies which has flourished recently. Several edited volumes already offer comprehensive overviews of this policy domain. Yet Elin Lerum Boasson and Jorgen Wettestad's monograph stands out as the first theoretically driven, comparative analysis of the factors that drive the development of EU internal climate policies... the richness of the empirical material and well-structured framework of EU Climate Policy make it a must-read for those interested in energy and climate policy-making in Europe and beyond. The book undoubtedly constitutes a sound basis for further theoretically informed comparative research on these issues.' International Affairs 'This book offers structured, comparative case studies of the development of four central EU climate policies: emissions trading systems, renewables, carbon capture and storage, and energy policy for buildings, examining the intriguing similarities and differences in how these have taken shape. Combining sociological and political science theories in a novel way, Elin Lerum Boasson and Jorgen Wettestad explore the history of EU climate policy... This book is a much needed contribution to the field of climate policymaking...' LSE Review of Books 'In an age when many governance processes extend beyond the reach of any single government, Elin Lerum Boasson and Jorgen Wettestad provide an empirically rich historical analysis of the origins of climate change policy in the European Union. ... This book will be of interest to theorists seeking a better understanding of public policy making in general and climate policy in particular, but also to policymakers and activists, who seek to advance European-and international-climate change policy. ... All in all, this book significantly advances our understanding of how policies develop and change in multi-dimensional international governance settings by filling a key gap among book-length accounts of EU climate policy. ... the clear structure of the book allows selective reading in this highly recommendable contribution.' Journal of Contemporary European Studies '... despite being a well-studied policy area in European Union studies, this volume shows that there is still much to be written about EU climate policy. ... As stated by the authors, this contribution is an invitation to further debate on the policy drivers that promoted this policy so significantly into the core of EU action. In this regard, the book becomes a key instrument in moving forward the debate. While this text will be of particular interest to academics, stakeholders and policy makers involved in EU climate policy, it will also appeal to EU public Policy students interested in cross-field and cross-level negotiation and decision making.' Political Studies Review

'In this timely contribution, Boasson and Wettestad explain the development of four key policy pillars of the EU's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: carbon emissions trading, the promotion of renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, and energy efficiency in buildings. The book is theoretically and empirically of the highest quality.'Miranda A. Schreurs, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany'This book significantly advances our knowledge about EU climate policy not least by shedding light on the role of industry, policy interaction and external factors in policy development as well as through rich case studies, including on the central but understudied aspects of energy efficiency in buildings and renewable energy promotion. There can be no doubt that the book will take an important place in any collection on EU climate policy.'Sebastian Oberthur, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium'What the EU does and does not do in relation to climate change matters hugely to those who live within and well outside Europe. By drawing together a mass of fresh empirical evidence and carefully relating it to well-known policy theories, this book manages to derive some genuinely fresh and insightful explanations as to why the EU acts in the rather puzzling way it does. In what is now an increasingly crowded field of research, it stands out for its depth and quality of scholarship.'Andrew Jordan, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, UK

Author Information

Elin Lerum Boasson, Jørgen Wettestad

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