Conference on the Future of Europe

Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf

Conference on the Future of Europe

The Role of Climate and Energy Policies

Publication: Document
Citation: Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2021: Conference on the Future of Europe. The Role of Climate and Energy Policies. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.

The Conference on the Future of Europe begins on 9 May 2021. The conference has great importance for EU climate policies. As a contribution to the start of the conference, think tanks from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and Poland make recommendations on how EU climate policy and the Conference on the Future of Europe can be mutually beneficial.

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Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf

Head, International and European Governance

Senior Fellow

The Conference on the Future of Europe: Lessons from the European Citizens' Panels

Year 2022

Event:Conference

With the Fit-for-55 package about to be put into law, and the RePowerEU plan adopted in response to the energy crisis, EU climate and energy is undergoing the most profound change in years, getting the EU on track to a post-fossil energy system. In a three-day series of events, partners from the Ariadne research project presented key insights from their work that is relevant for the further development of EU climate and energy policy, and discussed these with representatives from political institutions, academia, civil society and business. The events served to share research insights, to discuss and validate findings and their relevance for EU policy process, and to gather inputs for further research.

Shaping EU Climate and Energy Policy: Insights from and for the Ariadne Project

30 November - 2 December 2022
Brussels, Belgium

Event:Digital Event

This webinar presents and discusses the findings of a report by SEI Tallinn. The analysis, conducted as part of the Climate Recon 2050 project, analyses the role of the LULUCF sector in Member States’ Long-Term Strategies (LTSs). Although the majority of LTSs published so far address the topic, the extent to which countries with significant potential in the sector explore its contribution to climate neutrality varies, even among Member States with significant needs for modernization of their existing legacy networks.

The Role of the LULUCF Sector in Reaching Carbon Neutrality in 2050

Visions for the LULUCF sector in EU Member States’ Long-Term climate Strategies

13 December 2022
online

Event:Conference

This event discussed how stable long-term policy direction can be maintained despite uncertainties, and in this context will zoom into the role of long-term strategies and scientific climate advisory councils. To exchange views on these tools with each other and the audience, Climate Recon 2050 and ARIADNE have brought together several experienced practitioners.

Charting a Path Towards EU Climate Neutrality in Turbulent Times

Tools and institutions that can support stable long-term climate policy

30 November 2022
Brussels, Belgium

Publication:Policy Brief

This paper provides an overview of the process of developing an LTS and its challenges, examines the support available for countries undergoing this process, and presents some ideas on how the G20 could raise the political profile of the strategies. It has been included as input into the T20 process preceding the 2020 summit.

Long-term Strategies: state of play, challenges and possible support through the G20

Year 2022

Event:Digital Event

Representatives from EU institutions and experts from 10 EU Member States discussed the Conference on the Future of Europe (CFE), and its impacts on EU climate and energy policies. Participants also discussed whether citizens' panels should become a standard feature of EU decision-making. The event concluded the project "The Future of the EU – Make Climate Action its Trademark", funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI).

The Future of Citizens' Panels in EU Decision-making

Lessons from the European Citizens Panels and the Conference on the Future of Europe

11 November 2022
online, Berlin, Germany

Event:Digital Event

This webinar presents and discusses findings of a report by Energy Policy Group. The analysis focuses on the role of district heating in Member States' Long-term Climate Strategies (LTSs). The report describes the current situation, highlights key challenges and shortcomings of published LTSs, and proposes a way forward for integrating efficient, low-carbon and reliable district heating systems into climate neutrality strategies.

Getting to Low-carbon District Heating

3 November 2022
online

Publication:Document

screen shot of the briefing note's first page

This Briefing Note presents the first insights from Climate Recon 2050 – a project aiming to facilitate intra-EU exchange and foster the creation of know-how and networks essential to develop effective and ambitious national long-term climate strategies as a tool to guide a successful transition to a low-carbon economy. The Briefing Note brings together insights from the project’s activities – including a day of discussions on long-term climate planning held among policymakers from 10 EU Member States – and builds on related research by project partners.

2050 Climate Strategies in EU Countries: State of Play

Briefing Note 01

Year 2018

Publication:Document

On 9 May 2022, Europe Day, the Conference on the Future of Europe (CFE) closed – with the adoption of 49 recommendations. This is not the end of the process, but the beginning of new political action. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the role of the CFE as a starting point for renewed discussions on important topics such as climate, energy policy and EU democracy has been reiterated. Indeed, many recommendations from the CFE address EU climate policies – especially the ones prepared by its third citizens' panel on climate change, the environment and health. In this Ecologic Institute paper, Deyana Spasova questions how the panel's recommendations can improve EU climate policy? Where do the recommendations merely reiterate what is already in place? And how could the EU best translate the suggestions into policy action? The paper is available for download.

Conference on the Future of Europe

What is next for EU climate policies?

Year 2022

Language: English
Authorship: Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf
Funding: Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany

European Climate Foundation (ECF), International
Published by: Ecologic Institute, Germany
Year: 2021
Dimension: 6 pp.
Project: The Future of the EU – Make Climate Action its Trademark
Project ID: 30008
Table of contents: Click to show full table of contents

Introduction
How can climate and energy policies support the CFE?
In times of crisis, the EU climate and energy policies build bridges between EU Member States.
Climate and energy policies are a role model for a more transparent and participatory EU.
Climate and energy policies provide lessons that can help strengthen EU foreign policy.
EU climate and energy policies show that the EU is flexible and able to address the different needs and circumstances of its Member States.
How can climate and energy policies benefit from the CFE?
The CFE could help make climate and energy policies a hallmark of the EU.
The CFE can help make EU funding, state aid, and the financial sector more beneficial for climate and energy policies.
Using the Treaty's passerelle clause, the CFE could help expand the ordinary legislative process in EU climate policies.
Strengthening the European Parliament is good for both democracy in the EU and effective climate policies.
The European Council has at times engaged in the details of climate and energy legislation; the CFE can help clarify the mandate of the European Council.
Keywords: Climate

Governance

Conference on the Future of Europe, climate policy, energy policy, climate change, EU, Member States

Europe, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Poland

Attachments

Conference on the Future of Europe (pdf, 150 kB) (135.68 KB)

Further Links

Climate Recon 2050 project website

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Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils and Meinecke, Lisa Fee 2018: A Climate Law for Europe. Making the Paris Agreement Real. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

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Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2020: A European Climate Law – Draft. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

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Duwe, Matthias and Evans, Nicholas (2020): Climate Laws in Europe: Good Practices in Net-Zero Management. Berlin, Den Haag.

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Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2020: A European Climate Law. Analysis of the European Commission proposal. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

PublicationDocumentProposal for a European Climate Law – Suggestions for Amendments

Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2020: Proposal for a European Climate Law – Suggestions for Amendments. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

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