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The European Parliament as an Arena and Agent in the Politics of Climate Change: Comparing the External and Internal Dimension

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  • Frank Wendler

    (Institute for Political Science, University of Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

Climate change policy is a key example for globalized multi-level governance, involving the European Parliament (EP) both as legislator of internal European Union (EU) regulation and discursive agent in global climate negotiations. Based on the comparison of decision-making in external and internal climate change policy, the article investigates the link between the role of the EP as a political actor and arena for the interaction of competing party groups: Does EP involvement in negotiations on legally binding legislation prompt or constrain partisan polarization in comparison to declaratory statements about future goals of climate action? Harnessing a discursive institutionalist theoretical framework, the article compares EP resolutions about annual Conferences of the Parties (COPs 20 to 24) with the revision of four legislative acts for Phase IV of EU Climate Action: namely, emissions trading, effort sharing between Member States, the promotion of renewable energies, and energy efficiency standards. Using roll-call voting data and the review of legislative documentation, the contribution tracks the emergence and negotiation of political conflict in these two sets of cases. Overall, the case studies indicate a low level of external politicization, as indicated by low party group polarization, internalization of political conflict at the committee level, and compromise-building between issue dimensions.

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  • Frank Wendler, 2019. "The European Parliament as an Arena and Agent in the Politics of Climate Change: Comparing the External and Internal Dimension," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(3), pages 327-338.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:poango:v7:y:2019:i:3:p:327-338
    DOI: 10.17645/pag.v7i3.2156
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    1. Dryzek, John S. & Norgaard, Richard B. & Schlosberg, David, 2013. "Climate-Challenged Society," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199660117, Decembrie.
    2. Abdul Ghafar Noury & Simon Hix & Gérard Roland, 2007. "Democratic politics in the European Parliament," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/7744, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Jon Birger Skjærseth & Guri Bang & Miranda A. Schreurs, 2013. "Explaining Growing Climate Policy Differences Between the European Union and the United States," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 13(4), pages 61-80, November.
    4. Florian Trauner & Ariadna Ripoll Servent, 2016. "The Communitarization of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice: Why Institutional Change does not Translate into Policy Change," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(6), pages 1417-1432, November.
    5. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10174 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Christine Neuhold & Guri Rosén, 2019. "Introduction to “Out of the Shadows, Into the Limelight: Parliaments and Politicisation”," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(3), pages 220-226.
    2. Gonçalo Rodrigues Brás & Ana Lillebø & Helena Vieira, 2025. "Current climate action trends in party‐political manifestos: A content analysis provides hints to move forward," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 1948-1967, April.
    3. Anna-Lena Högenauer, 2021. "Scrutiny or Complacency? Banking Union in the Bundestag and the Assemblée Nationale," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(2), pages 219-229.

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