The original version of this article appeared on the Environment, Conflict, and Cooperation (ECC) Platform.

At the end of June, the European Union Foreign Affairs Council adopted a set of conclusions on EU climate diplomacy that left us with mixed feelings. Acknowledging and recalling that climate change is of paramount importance is commonplace – too often quoted and very seldom followed by decisive action. Explicit reference to the positive results of the Durban and Doha climate conferences is even a reason to get nervous. Many negotiators and observers will doubt a similarly enthusiastic framing for the most recent results.

And yet, the overall picture also leaves room for some expectation and even hope that – at the European level – new energy will be generated to provide leadership for a comprehensive climate diplomacy needed at different levels. Following the ideas published in the Joint Reflection Paper by the External Action Service in 2011, there are three storylines of climate diplomacy that are shaping the overall narrative of EU climate policy.

First, with the June conclusions, member states, the commission, and the high representative reached a consensus that a more strategic approach is needed to ensure a comprehensive global agreement including all major emitters. To consider and accept complementary roles and competences for European players in building alliances for ambitious climate action in the run-up to 2015 can help to avoid a prolonged political stalemate. In the Reflection Paper, developed in parallel to the EU Council Conclusions, this is referred to as a “coalition of ambition” with third countries. With recent domestic efforts in some of the emerging economies like China, such coalitions are more realistic today then some years ago.

Continue reading on the ECC Platform.

Sources: Council of the European Union, European Union External Action Service, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Video Credit: “Interview With Alexander Carius,” courtesy of adelphi.