Negotiating Positions and Eu Climate Leadership: An Analysis of the Outcomes of the Conferences of the Parties (Cop)

At the annual Climate Conferences of the Parties to the UNFCCC, there’s a growing tension of interests regarding raising the ambition of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and conducting the Global Stocktake (GST). A source of this tension is the increasing activity of developing countries. Their interests – overcoming the consequences of climate change, financing the energy transition, and the risks of relocating carbon-intensive industries – align with common interests. However, the search for compromise positions slows down the negotiation process. As a result, a false impression of a lack of leadership in international climate negotiations is formed.Therefore the article examines the participation of the EU as a Party to the UNFCCC at annual climate conferences (COP UNFCCC) to consider the prospects of climate leadership. It reviews the main negotiating positions of the EU and the outcomes of conferences that influenced the initial dynamics of climate diplomacy (in 1997, 2009, 2011, and 2015) as well as the four most recent conferences that demonstrate current trends and the EU’s role as an active participant in negotiations (2021-2024).Throughout the time since the adoption of the Convention, the EU has demonstrated constant and persistent efforts to implement the mechanisms established by this treaty to guide the industrial development of humanity towards climate neutrality. Comparison of these periods shows a change in the nature of EU climate leadership: from an ideational to a directive and structural type. This is illustrated by how the EU’s experience in domestic climate action is utilized in shaping international policies and practices of energy transition, and how the use of market potential drives the transformation of the global economy towards carbon-free development.Achievements at recent COPs regarding the formation of an international carbon credit market and financing funds for a just energy transition show that, in the long run, the leader will be the party that plays a leading role in transforming the global economy towards carbon-free development, accelerating the launch of these mechanisms, and supporting their functioning. The EU’s climate leadership at the current stage is based on its own achievements, significant diplomatic efforts made for the common international fight against global warming, and an exceptional ability to influence the dynamics of international labour, technology, and capital markets. However, the prospects for EU climate leadership will be determined by the effectiveness of these international projects and the success of energy transition policies across the entire bloc.