Climate change is a global challenge that calls for international coordination. Greenhouse gas emissions do not stop at national borders, and a considerable share of global emissions can be put down to international trade. Using and protecting the global commons means applying appropriate pricing and enforcement mechanisms as a way of aligning the incentives of the countries most affected by climate change with those of the nations responsible for the bulk of global emissions.

International treaties lack enforcement provisions, however. Signatories to the Paris Agreement and the G7/G20 Member States have formulated objectives, but there are no sanctions mechanisms. Policy measures remain largely voluntary. Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and long-term policy objectives make sense in principle, but have proven insufficient to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. In short, while the international community has agreed on common objectives, there is still a lack of effective cooperation to achieve them. President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate, which took place in April 2021, reignited the debate surrounding the international coordination of climate policy.

This panel, which continues the series of events, takes stock of international climate action and discusses the way ahead. Key questions include how much policy coordination is needed beyond the definition of common objectives, and how much discretion is necessary in national implementation. The panellists contribute a broad range of experiences and cover the viewpoints of the United States, Europe and China, in particular.

Panel II – online event on 5 July 2021, 15:00-17:00 (CEST)

Event language: English

“Coordinating climate policies internationally - What’s the state of play? And where are we heading?”