As climate policy becomes increasingly contested, Europe must adapt its Green Deal to a new political era. The first policy brief in the New Politics project outlines five new deals to make the transition more durable, popular and politically resilient
The EU and member states must agree a high-level energy diplomacy framework and complete the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels
The EU needs to align climate diplomacy with industrial strategy to accelerate Europe’s transition to a competitive low-carbon economy
Social movements in North Africa increasingly focus on environmental concerns and the impact of climate change. Europeans must ensure their cooperation with governments in the region does not end up adding to activists’ grievances
China is already the undisputed champion of traditional manufacturing. But China’s leadership wants more: it aspires to lead in the next generation of production by 2035 – and biomanufacturing has emerged as a priority for China’s economic security, resilience and strategic autonomy. Europe has seen this movie before. As with solar panels or…
The EU needs to align climate diplomacy with industrial strategy to accelerate Europe’s transition to a competitive low-carbon economy
Reflecting on the findings from our previous events and drawing on Mark Leonard’s latest IPPR paper, Britain’s strategy for a decade of danger: Our nation, our continent, our world, the discussion will examine competing visions for Britain’s role in the world—from renewed reliance on the US, to a more globally diversified approach, to a strategic pivot…
As the UK pursues its ambition to become a “clean energy superpower”, it will have to navigate working with major geopolitical partners, like China and the EU, and the strategic trade-offs involved with aligning closer with one over the other. China has become an increasingly important supplier, investor, and manufacturer across key clean technologies,…
The Three Seas Initiative helped cut Europe’s dependence on Russian gas—but five of its nine flagship energy projects are still gas-related. The initiative should direct its new €2bn “fund of funds” towards building the clean-energy infrastructure that will outlast the gas era
As climate policy becomes increasingly contested, Europe must adapt its Green Deal to a new political era. The first policy brief in the New Politics project outlines five new deals to make the transition more durable, popular and politically resilient
The EU and member states must agree a high-level energy diplomacy framework and complete the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels
The IMO’s Net-Zero Framework is critical for EU competitiveness and the clearest path to decarbonise shipping. African backing may prove decisive as American and Gulf pressure stalls progress
Europe’s energy, industrial and migration interests all converge in its southern neighbourhood, where rivals are eroding its influence. The new Pact for the Mediterranean can reverse this, but only if Brussels puts grand bargains on the table
As climate policy becomes increasingly contested, Europe must adapt its Green Deal to a new political era. The first policy brief in the New Politics project outlines five new deals to make the transition more durable, popular and politically resilient
The EU and member states must agree a high-level energy diplomacy framework and complete the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels
The IMO’s Net-Zero Framework is critical for EU competitiveness and the clearest path to decarbonise shipping. African backing may prove decisive as American and Gulf pressure stalls progress
Europe’s energy, industrial and migration interests all converge in its southern neighbourhood, where rivals are eroding its influence. The new Pact for the Mediterranean can reverse this, but only if Brussels puts grand bargains on the table
Europeans must urgently implement a “fast energy” programme to speed up access to energy to power AI—and remain competitive in the world
The geoeconomic power of the future will be shaped by climate policy. Countries that play the right moves in regulation, clean-tech production and climate finance today will win in the electrified world of tomorrow
Europeans must adapt their approach to supporting Africa’s energy transitions—or risk losing out to China and other competitors
China’s manufacturing surge and trade tactics are dampening Europe’s clean-tech goals. Europeans need to forge coalitions across wary member states to secure their energy independence
With the difficult post-Soviet years behind it, Central Asia is becoming more integrated and actively seeking partnerships beyond Russia and China
The ethos of the EU’s “Pact for the Mediterranean” could help revitalise cooperation on clean energy with Tunisia—but only if Europeans learn how to better factor in the country’s politics
Social movements in North Africa increasingly focus on environmental concerns and the impact of climate change. Europeans must ensure their cooperation with governments in the region does not end up adding to activists’ grievances
The EU needs to align climate diplomacy with industrial strategy to accelerate Europe’s transition to a competitive low-carbon economy
The Three Seas Initiative helped cut Europe’s dependence on Russian gas—but five of its nine flagship energy projects are still gas-related. The initiative should direct its new €2bn “fund of funds” towards building the clean-energy infrastructure that will outlast the gas era
The EU must take concrete steps to support African ambitions to move exporting or processing raw materials and become a maker of clean technologies
Europe’s climate goals, industrial plans and geopolitical ambitions are outpacing its electricity infrastructure. If upgrades do not speed up, the grid will become the main barrier to Europe’s success
European carmakers are falling behind Chinese makers of electric vehicles. Yet watered-down climate targets will not help European cars compete with China; a different approach is needed
Oil prices barely flinched after the Iran-Israel 12-day war in June, but it would be a mistake to conclude Gulf producers have lost their leverage
Beijing is turning its rare earth monopoly into a weapon. The EU needs to treat this as the emergency that it is and unleash its anti-coercion shield to bring China to the negotiating table
The EU’s new 2040 climate target will only be credible if it works more closely with partners worldwide—sharing technology, financing green transitions, and reducing strategic dependencies
European investment in Africa should focus on climate-smart business. This will develop the continent’s resilient infrastructure, secure job creation and support sustainable food systems—while strengthening Europe’s hand amid geopolitical turbulence
The energy deals the EU and its member states are now making with third countries will shape Europeans’ ability to protect their energy security in the long term. The EU Energy Deals Tracker provides a comprehensive overview of these agreements, including their implications for the sustainable transition
Mark Leonard welcomes Adam Tooze to unpack the role of class in the second Trump presidency, and its implications for the US and Europe
To achieve the ambitions of the European Green Deal, the European Commission insists that healthy oceans and a sustainable maritime economy are crucial. With…
Around 70 per cent of our planet is covered by the ocean, of which two-thirds fall beyond national jurisdiction. After decades of discussions and…
Mark Leonard is joined by Kate Hampton to discuss climate and development cooperation in competition
Beyond the UN formats, countries around the world are forging hundreds of bilateral and multilateral agreements to advance the clean energy transition. India has…
Action on climate financing is long overdue. Inadequate mitigation and adaptation have already led to substantial loss and damage in the most vulnerable countries
Can Europe remain true to its climate agenda despite Russia’s war in Ukraine?
What were this World Economic forum’s biggest themes? Which discussions on the Ukraine crisis were the most convincing?
On location at the Doha Forum 2022, Mark Leonard and his guests discuss Western energy sanctions on Russia and why is there a reluctance in the Gulf states and the West to cooperate on energy supplies
Is the EU in a position to deliver a green grand bargain, or is its role as peripheral now as it was at COP15?
China is already the undisputed champion of traditional manufacturing. But China’s leadership wants more: it aspires to lead in the next generation of production by 2035 – and biomanufacturing has emerged as a priority for China’s economic security, resilience and strategic autonomy. Europe has seen this movie before. As with solar panels or…
Reflecting on the findings from our previous events and drawing on Mark Leonard’s latest IPPR paper, Britain’s strategy for a decade of danger: Our nation, our continent, our world, the discussion will examine competing visions for Britain’s role in the world—from renewed reliance on the US, to a more globally diversified approach, to a strategic pivot…
As the UK pursues its ambition to become a “clean energy superpower”, it will have to navigate working with major geopolitical partners, like China and the EU, and the strategic trade-offs involved with aligning closer with one over the other. China has become an increasingly important supplier, investor, and manufacturer across key clean technologies,…
A growing transatlantic narrative claims that climate action is a gift to China and pressure is mounting on European policymakers to delay and water down the continent’s energy transition to safeguard its competitiveness. Yet such a dilemma between fighting climate change and remaining competitive is largely fallacious: the energy transition is already reshaping the global balance of…
Quest’anno lo European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) e l’Institute of Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) co-presiedono il Think7 (T7), il gruppo di consultazione ufficiale del G7 per i think tank e i centri di ricerca a livello mondiale, con l’obiettivo di elaborare nuove proposte politiche per i paesi del G7. In questo contesto, ECFR ha preparato 4 solution…
As Africa becomes an increasingly central arena for Russia’s interests, the role of the United States and China is undergoing significant transformation. With Trump’s return to the White House, a broader US economic-military repositioning in Africa to contain external influences seems to occur, while Beijing continues to deepen its structural economic presence across the…
The EU lacks cohesive governance to deploy economic statecraft tools, such as sanctions and export controls, undermining their impact and the bloc’s global credibility. In this webinar, Agathe Demarais and Abraham Newman will discuss their recent policy brief, outlining how the creation of an EU network focused on the design and implementation of…
Polityka Insight and ECFR invite you to join us for the livestream of this year’s Warsaw European Conversation. At Polityka Insight and ECFR, we believe there is an urgent need to engage in a critical conversation about the risks and trends shaping the European project. For this reason, we invite you to join forces, and participate…
As European leaders navigate the EU’s strategic future amid rising geopolitical tensions, a critical mass of middle powers, from India and Turkey to the Gulf monarchies, is increasingly affecting Europe’s engagement across Africa. The United Arab Emirates has emerged as an exceptionally active player in Africa over the last few years, focusing particularly…
La sfida tecnologica posta dalla transizione energetica è un fattore dirimente di competizione tra gli attori internazionali, con implicazioni critiche sul futuro assetto geoeconomico globale, come reso evidente dalle tensioni nelle relazioni commerciali tra Stati Uniti, Cina e Unione Europea. Allo stesso tempo, la proiezione esterna degli attori internazionali e lo sforzo di costruzione di nuove partnership e collaborazioni sono meccanismi essenziali per lo sviluppo di catene del valore resilienti
Alberto Rizzi on how Roberto Vannacci’s rise is increasing pressure on EU green policies in Italy
