European climate leadership and COP21 - assessing EU relations with China and India

The contours of global climate politics are shifting. Global climate negotiations in the run-up to December’s Paris climate conference have been characterized by an unusual alignment of players. The United States and China set the tone embracing climate action through a bilateral agreement last year. The European Union, long-standing supporter and aspiring climate leader, welcomed the move. The EU has recognised that no international agreement would be possible without including the biggest emerging country polluters – China and India.

In this Policy Forum, Dr. Diarmuid Torney, author of European Climate Leadership in Question: Policies toward China and India (MIT Press, 2015), presents the findings of his systematic assessment of Europe’s relations with China and India on climate change. This panel discussion will reflect on the role of the EU, China, and India in global climate negotiations. What is the EU’s climate diplomacy strategy in the lead-up to COP21 in Paris? Have efforts been made to avoid a repeat of the dramatic showdown in Copenhagen in 2009? What are the implications of the diffusion of policies such as emissions trading to China on the road to COP21.

This event is free and open to all with no ticket or pre-registration required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. This information can also be found on Facebook