Global Competition for Green Leadership: the European Green Deal, the US Inflation Reducation Act, and China's Green Revolution
In the Opening Keynote during the first GreenDeal-NET conference in Lisbon, Miranda Schreurs sheds light on the power dynamics of climate action between the EU, the US, and China.
The European Union has been a strong supporter of climate action since 2019, focusing on rethinking economies, achieving climate neutrality by 2050, promoting circularity, and transforming agricultural systems and trade relations. In 2021, the EU passed the European climate law, setting a 55% reduction target for emissions by 2030. The EU has revised its climate laws multiple times, increasing its ambition to 55%. However, the war in Ukraine has impacted European energy and climate policies, as Europe heavily relies on Russia for oil, gas, and coal imports. To reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, the EU has intensified its renewable energy policies, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) energy. Europe has also recognized the importance of hydrogen, decarbonized gases, carbon capture, and storage as key technologies.
The United States has faced scrutiny for its approach to climate change and climate politics, with the Biden administration introducing legislation focusing on clean energy and clean energy.
China, which previously claimed not to be a problem in climate change, has recognized the need to address environmental issues and has incorporated ecological civilization into its agenda.
A global competition among countries is emerging to become the cleanest and greenest the fastest. Although the means of achieving these targets are uncertain, the ambitious goals set by countries like Europe, China, and the United States demonstrate a growing commitment to climate action.
Miranda Schreurs (PhD University of Michigan) investigates environmental movements, green politics, and climate policy making both comparatively and internationally. She also specialises on the politics surrounding the disposal of highly radioactive waste. In 2011, Prof. Schreurs was appointed by Chancellor Angela Merkel as a member of the Ethics Committee for a Secure Energy Supply. In 2016, she was appointed by the German Bundestag as a member of a committee established to bring citizens’ voices and ensure greater transparency in the search for a disposal site for highly radioactive waste. She was a member of the German Council on the Environment (2008-2016) and served both as Vice Chair and Chair of the European Advisory Council on Environment and Sustainable Development. Currently, she is a member of the Spatial Planning Advisory Body to the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development, and Building.
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