On 25 January, The Council of the European Union adopted conclusions on ʻClimate and Energy Diplomacy - Delivering on the external dimension of the European Green Dealʼ. The document says that EU energy diplomacy will continue to play a key role in maintaining and strengthening the energy security and resilience of the EU and its partners.

In its conclusions, the Council recognises that climate change is an existential threat to humanity. It notes that global climate action still falls short of what is required to achieve the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Council stresses that EU energy diplomacy will aim, as its primary goal, to accelerate the global energy transition, promoting energy efficiency and renewable technologies, amongst other things. At the same time, the EU’s energy diplomacy will discourage further investments into fossil-fuel-based infrastructure projects in third countries, unless they are aligned with an ambitious climate neutrality pathway. It will support international efforts to reduce the environmental and greenhouse gas impact of existing fossil fuel infrastructure.

The conclusions confirm the EUʼs continuous commitment to further scale up the mobilisation of international climate finance, including sustainable finance practices, as a contribution to the transition towards climate neutrality. The Council notes that the EU is the largest contributor of public climate finance, having doubled its contribution from the 2013 figure to €23.2 billion in 2019, and says the coherent pursuit of external policy goals is crucial for the success of the European Green Deal.

“EU diplomacy will scale up efforts to counter disinformation campaigns against the energy transition, within the EU and globally,” the Council press release said. “The EU and its Member States will continue to support the uptake of the EU’s energy acquis, rules and standards, as well as further energy market integration and interconnectivity in line with the European Green Deal, particularly within the EU’s neighbourhood, including the Eastern Mediterranean. The EU will support the ambitions and efforts of countries in the Southern Neighbourhood, Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership in tackling environmental, climate and energy challenges.” In this context The Council also welcomed the Joint Communication on Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020 and stressed the importance of completing the Energy Community Treaty amendment process as soon as possible.

The Council invites the Commission and the High Representative to prepare, by the end of 2021, a new strategy on international energy engagement, in accordance with the goals set in the Conclusions and taking into account the specificities of particular regions and countries while fostering energy partnerships, and developing regional energy cooperation, particularly in the EU’s Neighbourhood.

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Press release

Climate and Energy Diplomacy - Delivering on the external dimension of the European Green Deal (Council conclusions, 25 January 2021)

EEAS news story: 'Call for urgent global action to mitigate climate crisis - the external dimension of the European Green Deal'