The European Green Deal as a Game Changer in Domestic Climate Policies?

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Katharina Zimmermann
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 513092447

Subproject C2 "Green Deal" centres on climate change as a driver for big structural change. It aims to explore how, and under what circumstances, the European Green Deal (EGD) operates as an externality in various EU member states and subsequently impacts national climate policies. Recent discussions within Europeanization and environmental transformation research indicate that a 'green transition' at the European level will profoundly influence national institutions and climate policies. By focusing on beliefs altered by the EGD and a potentially questioned legitimacy of established national institutions, this subproject contributes to a better understanding of climate crisis related institutional change within EU member states. C2 employs a qualitative approach to investigate the role of the EGD in national conflicts and power struggles; considering cognitive, strategic, and legitimizing usage of the EGD as a political resource in such power struggles by different domestic actors. An in-depth analysis of three distinct EGD instruments (e.g., carbon pricing, subsidies for renewable energy sources, or emission bans) across three EU member states (Germany, Poland, and Sweden) aims to offer a profound, context-sensitive understanding of the EGD's national implementation, its associated conflicts, and resulting institutional change.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5622: Big Structural Change