WVPU Rector Co-Edits New Book Addressing Climate Change Policy in Europe
April 27, 2023
A new anthology of European political perspectives on climate change was published this month.
The book, “Climate Change and the Future of Europe: Views from the Capitals,” was co-edited by Webster Vienna Private University (WVPU) Rector Johannes Pollak along with Michael Kaeding and Paul Schmidt.
The book is a part of the "Future of Europe" series edited by Kaeding, Pollak, and Senem Aydın-Düzgit with Springer International.
“Climate Change and the Future of Europe” is the fifth edition in the broader series that collates national perspectives with regards to European issues. The book series is geared toward students of international relations, policy and politics. The latest edition tackles the immense challenge of climate policy.
“When it comes to climate change, carbon, and the ‘green’ economy, some parts of Europe are politically ambitious while others remain sluggish," Pollak said. "This new compilation of views from European capitals will help readers navigate the diverse political landscape and aid policy-makers in strategic decision-making."
The book presents insights from over 50 experts in 39 countries in the EU and neighboring regions; provides examples of national paths toward climate neutrality, and on public perception of the climate crisis; and includes recommendations on how policy-makers should implement climate policies, both at the national and EU level.
While the ambitious objectives outlined in the EU’s Green Deal aim at making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, national implementation greatly varies depending on local geographies, history, culture, economics and politics.
This book analyzes member state and EU neighbors’ national efforts to combat climate change.
The new publication subsequently draws on these factors to highlight local challenges, tensions and opportunities on the road to climate neutrality.
In the context of inter-country dependencies following Russia’s war against Ukraine, it addresses strategic questions regarding EU integration, the transformation of our economies, the reduction of energy dependencies, and public perception of the above.
The book also makes concrete recommendations, in various policy areas, on how individual countries and the EU as a whole should deal with the climate crisis.