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Beyond leading by example: enhanced EU-LAC climate cooperation—the case of Brazil, Chile and Mexico

Author

Listed:
  • Alina Averchenkova

    (London School of Economics and Political Sciences, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
    Elcano Royal Institute, Energy and Climate Programme)

  • Lara Lazaro

    (Elcano Royal Institute, Energy and Climate Programme
    Centro de Enseñanza Superior Cardenal Cisneros (Affiliated to Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Economic Theory)

  • Gonzalo Escribano

    (Elcano Royal Institute, Energy and Climate Programme
    Spanish Open University (UNED), Applied Economics)

Abstract

This article analyses the impact of the European Green Deal (EGD) on the EU’s claim to climate leadership, the extent to which this affects cooperation between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and how the EDG could help enable the net-zero transition. The EGD restates the EU’s quest for climate leadership which has heretofore been prominently ideational and exemplary (directional). However, the EGD’s implementation is expected to have a significant impact on partner countries. Both conflict and cooperation could arise amid shifting geopolitical alliances and insufficient climate action. Building on the literature on the EU’s climate and EGD diplomacy, expert analyses, closed-door working groups and elite interviews, this article contends there is scope for the EU to transcend directional climate leadership and deepen entrepreneurial (coalition-led) and structural leadership, both through coercion and assistance, and makes the case for expanding cooperation with Latin America. The main conclusions are: (1) for the EU to retain its climate leadership it needs an overarching green deal diplomacy strategy that helps LAC countries adapt to the European decarbonisation strategy; (2) Enhanced entrepreneurial (diplomatic) and structural leadership (through assistance) can result from strengthening climate governance in areas such as climate laws, scientific advisory boards, citizens participation and policy instruments including taxonomies and emission trading systems; (3) structural leadership through assistance could also be strengthened by ramping up climate finance (e.g. via a revised Global Gateway), furthering climate-proof trade agreements and supporting just transition initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Alina Averchenkova & Lara Lazaro & Gonzalo Escribano, 2025. "Beyond leading by example: enhanced EU-LAC climate cooperation—the case of Brazil, Chile and Mexico," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 267-284, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ieaple:v:25:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s10784-025-09678-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10784-025-09678-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hochstetler, Kathryn, 2021. "Climate institutions in Brazil: three decades of building and dismantling climate capacity," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 111417, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Sigit Perdana & Marc Vielle & Thais Diniz Oliveira, 2024. "The EU carbon border adjustment mechanism: implications on Brazilian energy intensive industries," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 260-273, February.
    3. Alina Averchenkova & Sam Fankhauser & Jared J. Finnegan, 2021. "The impact of strategic climate legislation: evidence from expert interviews on the UK Climate Change Act," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 251-263, February.
    4. Israel Solorio, 2021. "Leader on paper, laggard in practice: policy fragmentation and the multi-level paralysis in implementation of the Mexican Climate Act," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(9), pages 1175-1189, October.
    5. Lipari, Francesca & Lázaro-Touza, Lara & Escribano, Gonzalo & Sánchez, Ángel & Antonioni, Alberto, 2024. "When the design of climate policy meets public acceptance: An adaptive multiplex network model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    6. Carmen Dayrell, 2022. "Far-right scepticism," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 12(5), pages 418-418, May.
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