Prioritizing consumption-based emissions in EU’s policy agenda

Background

Trade has long been a cornerstone of the EU, fostering economic growth, job creation, and improved well-being. Yet, unsustainable trade and consumption practices stand out as major drivers of persistently high global greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC 2022). Notably, a substantial portion of member states’ consumption relies on imports, resulting in GHG emissions generated beyond European borders. Addressing this global climate challenge necessitates acknowledging and dealing with these imported emissions, just as member states have done with territorial GHG emissions, a focal point of EU policy for decades.

While mitigating territorial GHG emissions has received significant attention, the emissions generated during the production of imported goods have often been overlooked. This oversight presents an opportunity for the EU to exercise leadership in global climate action. The introduction of unilateral measures such as the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and deforestation regulation, alongside proposed legislation like the EcoDesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, demonstrates the EU’s commitment to regulating embodied emissions in products.

Effectively addressing the global climate challenge will necessitate profound changes in consumption patterns and trade practices. It will also require well-designed policies to ensure that the transition is not only sustainable but also equitable and swift.

The project outputs are:

• Webinar/seminar, targeting the European Parliament and Commission
• Perspective articles
• Country report documenting the study and findings for selected countries
• Policy brief with recommendations

The project will concentrate on 3-5 EU member states as case studies. However, the insights and outcomes will have broader relevance, benefiting all member states, parliamentarians, commissioners, and other EU agencies. The ultimate goal is to encourage shifts in consumption patterns and address global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions more effectively.

Funding

This project is funded by European Climate Foundation (ECF) and will run from August 2023 – July 2024.