Lecture "The Paris Climate Agreement: Implications for the European Union"
On 12 December 2015, the Paris Climate Summit adopted the Paris Agreement. What are the major challenges and opportunities for the EU? How will the EU be able to align its internal policy development? What effects, if any, will the Paris Agreement have on EU policies? All these questions will be addressed on 20 January 2016 from 18.00 to 20.00.
At the core of the Paris Agreement, countries are expected to implement greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives and climate plans. As the plans and objectives submitted by more than 180 countries already prior to the Paris Summit are insufficient for keeping global temperature increase to below 2 °C or even 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, the Paris Agreement foresees 5-yearly rounds of review and strengthening.
The EU was among the major driving forces at the Paris Climate Summit within an emerging climate-ambition coalition. It has committed to reducing its GHG emissions by at least 40% by 2030 from 1990 levels, as agreed by the European Council in October 2014. More than a month after the close of the Paris Summit, this keynote lecture provides the opportunity to reflect on and discuss the implications of the Paris Agreement for EU internal and external policy development.
Keynote speaker
- Jos Delbeke, Director General, DG CLIMA, European Commission
- Sebastian Oberthür, Professor for Environment and Sustainable Development at the Institute for European Studies (IES-VUB) - chair
Practical information
Participation is free of charge and open to all but, due to space limitations, registration is required. To register, please fill in the online registration form.