The EU has long pioneered the battle against climate change and pushed the world's most aggressive greenhouse gas emissions-reducing agendas. But as the Copenhagen Climate Conference gets underway, it's clear that the EU's international political clout has almost as much at stake as our environment does.

The ratification of the Kyoto Protocol was seriously delayed by the U.S.'s contrarian stance as the Europeans wrung their hands in frustration. When it finally passed, it was by no influence the EU exerted on President Bush, but rather through a bribe in which Russia opted to support the protocol in exchange for a bid to join the World Trade Organization.

This time around, the EU is desperately trying to prove itself as a legitimate political bloc -- and if it cannot push its climate change goals forth or at least make legitimate headway, the political future of the union and the battle against climate change will both be in sore states. And things aren't looking good, as the majority of the power has shifted to the nations that emit the largest quantities of greenhouse gases. The EU's soft power mechanisms have been brushed aside in favor of the U.S. and China's bickering matches.

Attempts made by the EU to push nations like the U.S. and China into dramatic carbon emissions reductions will likely be futile, if Kyoto has served as any example. Instead, the EU's best shot lies in developing strong and consistent goals throughout the member states themselves and then simply leading by example, stirring global guilt.

EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas is on board with this strategy, asking that Europe unilaterally reduce emissions by 30 percent from 1990 levels -- a 10 percent bump from the initial targets agreed upon. "The moral pressure would be much stronger on the developed countries and developing countries alike," Dimas said.

Whether or not EU is willing to give up its efforts to become big players in global politics in order to carry the climate change battle on its own shoulders will serve as the ultimate test of its devotion to environmental justice.

 

BPV2MCHKZEU2