What is Transformative Climate Policy?

First episode of the podcast "CLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the future of EU climate policy"

Publication: Podcast
Citation: Ecologic Institute 2023: What is transformative climate policy? Podcast. Online: https://www.4i-traction.eu/outputs/podcast-series-episode-1-what-transformative-eu-climate-policy

As concern for our planet's health continues to rise, climate policy has taken center stage in political discussions worldwide. While EU member states have made strides towards implementing comprehensive climate policies, we still have a long way to go in reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, progress towards climate neutrality has been slow and marked by easy wins that do not require significant change.

How must policymakers design transformative EU climate policy to reach climate neutrality in the next decade?

In this 1st episode of the "CLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the future of EU climate policy" podcast, hosts Aaron Best from Ecologic Institute and Bradlie Martz-Sigala from the University of Eastern Finland discuss with Anuschka Hilke, Program Director at the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) and Benjamin Görlach, Environmental Economist and Head of Economics and Policy Assessment at Ecologic Institute, what "transformative policy" actually means and how it differs from traditional policymaking. What different approaches must policymakers take to achieve a comprehensive transformation of our economies?

Tune in to find out and enjoy the conversation!

Listen now!

The podcast is produced by Ecologic Institute and Eastern University of Finland and is available online on the following streaming platforms: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Deezer | Amazon Music and YouTube.

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The podcast is part of the 4i-TRACTION project, financed by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme funded under grant agreement No. 1011003884.

Integrating for Impact: Coordination and Cohesion in EU Climate Policy

Fifth episode of the podcast "CLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the future of EU climate policy"

Year 2024

Publication:Report

This study assesses the progress of EU Member States in embedding participatory governance processes to foster transformative climate governance. Through comprehensive criteria-based analysis and in-depth interviews across several nations, this publication unveils the current state of MLCED implementation, challenges in stakeholder engagement, and the adequacy of mechanisms designed to steer us towards a climate-neutral future.

Fostering Transformative Climate Governance? The potential of multilevel climate and energy dialogues

A criteria-based assessment of Member States reports under Article 11

Year 2024

Event:Digital Event

The 4i-TRACTION Community of Experts Coffee Hour format is one of the stakeholder engagement activities. This dynamic series of Coffee Hours addresses and engages members of the "Community of Experts", a select group of experts with different backgrounds on the "4Is" of the project: Innovation, investment, infrastructure and integration. Each session explored critical issues in EU climate and energy policies, fostering an open and insightful exchange under the Chatham house rule.

4i-TRACTION Community of Experts Coffee Hours

8 February 2022 - 24 November 2023
online, Germany

Publication:Podcast

In this 4th episode, together with investment and finance experts Julie Evain (I4CE) and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin (I4CE), we unpack the regulatory framework for mobilizing green investments that are needed for a climate-neutral future. Can current EU financial policies provide predictability to economic actors? Which policies do we need to ensure long-term vision toward climate neutrality? We also explore the role of the banking sector and the use of banks' transition plans to ensure banks consider climate-related risks and direct investments properly.

Regulatory Leverage: How Can the EU Foster a Green Investment Shift?

Fourth episode of the podcast "CLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the future of EU climate policy"

Year 2024

News

The annual climate change summit in 2023 (COP28) took place in Dubai, UAE. Negotiators from all around the world assembled to discuss the implementation of the Paris Agreement, undertaking the first ever global stocktake of progress towards meeting these goals. Ecologic Institute attended the talks with a delegation of four colleagues, providing legal advice to the EU delegation and discussing insights from ongoing research on innovative policy instruments.

Ecologic Institute at COP28

30 November - 14 December 2023

Event:Conference

The 4i-TRACTION research has identified additional instruments with untapped potential and possible game changer qualities, that can help tackle challenges of transformative change other policies struggle to address. In this side event, the 4i-TRACTION project presented three policy instruments that can support transformative change: transition plans for banks, public procurement for climate neutrality and integrated infrastructure planning.

Innovative Policies for the Path to Climate Neutrality – COP Side Event

10 December 2023
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Publication:Report

This report is the final report on seven national case studies (NCS) performed in the 4i-TRACTION project. It presents outcomes of the analysis carried out in task 2.3 'Evaluation of 4i dimensions at the national level – case-study analysis'.

Report on National Case Studies

Year 2023

Publication:Document

This paper addresses a gap by providing a conceptual basis to further the understanding of security implications of the EU’s transformation to a net-zero economy. It first defines the aspects of security under consideration (Section 2) and proposes a typology to classify fossil fuel exporting countries based on their exposure to world market prices, their capacity to adjust and their importance to the EU in terms of security issues (Section 3). It then takes stock of policy options that can be adopted in other countries to reduce adjustment costs to a changed economic environment (Section 4) and discusses how the EU can support these policies (Section 5). Finally, it highlights key implications for EU policy makers (Section 6).

How the Net-Zero Transformation Affects Fossil Fuel Exporters

Security Implications and Policy Options for the EU

Year 2023

Publication:Report

This report presents an approach to studying the EU’s procedural climate governance, namely the frameworks, instruments and institutions that shape and support the climate-related decision-making process of the EU.

Transformative Procedural Climate Governance

Mechanisms, functions, and assessment criteria

Year 2023

Language: English
Credits: Concept and Content: Ricarda Faber (Ecologic Institute), Katri Varis
Technical implementation and Communication: Chiara Mazzetti (Ecologic Institute)
Sound: Lena Aebli (Ecologic Institute)
Hosts: Ricarda Faber, Aaron Best (Ecologic Institute)
Interview partners: Anuschka Hilke (Institute for Climate Economics) and Benjamin Görlach (Ecologic Institute)
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International
Published by: Ecologic Institute, Germany

University of Eastern Finland, Finland
Year: 2023
Dimension: 34:47 min
Project: Transformative Policies for a Climate-neutral European Union (4i-TRACTION)
Project ID: 33007
Keywords: Climate

Communication

EU

Climate, Communication, CO2 emissions, climate change, Europe, Energy, EU Governance, Climate neutrality

Europe

Further Links

4i-TRACTION project website

PublicationPodcastCLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the Future of EU Climate Policy

Limiting global warming to well below 2 °C, whilst striving to limit it to 1.5 °C, means that many sectors of the European economy will need to be transformed over the next three decades. Our existing systems for energy, mobility, industry, food and housing... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2023: CLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the future of EU climate policy. Podcast. Online: https://www.4i-traction.eu/outputs/4i-traction-podcast-climate-air-discussing-future-eu-climate-policy

ProjectHorizon 2020Transformative Policies for a Climate-neutral European Union (4i-TRACTION)

To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, EU policy will have to be reoriented – from incremental towards structural change. As expressed in the European Green Deal, the challenge is to initiate the necessary transformation to climate neutrality in the coming years, while... Read more

Transformative Policies for a Climate-neutral European Union (4i-TRACTION)

Duration: Jun 2021 - May 2024
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International

PublicationReportTransformative Climate Policies

Cover of the 4i-TRACTION report "Transformative climate policies: a conceptual framing of the 4i’s"

What makes climate policy transformative? This report sets out the conceptual framing of transformation and transformative climate policies taken in the 4i-TRACTION project. The 4i-TRACTION project, led by Ecologic Institute, analyses what transformative climate... Read more

Görlach, Benjamin, Anuschka Hilke, Bettina Kampmann, Kati Kulovesi, Brendan Moore and Tomas Wyns (2022): Transformative climate policies: a conceptual framing of the 4i’s. 4i-TRACTION Deliverable D 1.1. Ecologic Institute; Berlin

PublicationPolicy BriefMaking EU Climate Policy Fit for Climate Neutrality

Cover of the 4i-Traction policy brief "Making EU Climate Policy Fit for Climate Neutrality"

How must EU climate policymaking evolve to become transformative? This policy brief of the 4i-TRACTION project sets out conceptual hallmarks required for attaining climate neutrality in the EU. The 2020s are the pivotal decade to get on the path to climate neutrality... Read more

4i-TRACTION (2022): Making EU Climate Policy Fit for Climate Neutrality. 4i-TRACTION Policy Brief. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

PublicationReportPolicy Avenues towards a Climate-Neutral Europe

Cover of the 4i-traction report "Policy Avenues towards a Climate-Neutral Europe"

The report maps out four policy avenues for how the EU could attain climate neutrality. The policy avenues consist of a mix of policy instruments sequenced over time, and the institutional arrangements to deliver them. Each policy avenue embodies a different paradigm, i... Read more

Görlach, Benjamin, Leon Martini, Ricarda Faber, Aaron Best, Pol Fontanet Pérez (2022): Report on core instruments and avenues for transformative climate policies. 4i-TRACTION Deliverable 4.1. Ecologic Institute; Berlin.

Project policy brief: Transformative Change to Achieve 1.5°C: An EU Member State Assessment

Project policy brief: How Can the EU Transform Its Economy to Meet the 1.5°C Goal?