The EU and the U.S. have always been each other’s best ‘frenemies’ on climate policy. Whereas the EU has thought the U.S. could be more ambitious, the U.S. has lamented EU dirigisme.
Today, green technology, trade and investment are big business. The EU is taking steps to ensure that all goods imported in its internal market – including goods coming from the U.S. – comply with EU climate law, among others via a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The U.S., on the other hand, is trying to take the lead in climate-friendly technology. Only companies based in the U.S. and a handful of closely-related countries – but not the EU – can enjoy the green subsidies of the Inflation Reduction Act. EU-U.S. cooperation, meanwhile, is embodied in the Trade and Technology Council, a new, permanent platform for U.S.-EU trade and investment cooperation.
Our panel will discuss the tensions and areas of cooperation between the EU and the U.S. in combatting climate change. Sue Biniaz, lecturer at Yale Law School and Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change, will provide insights into her experiences representing the U.S. Mercedes Garcia Perez, head of ‘Global Issues and Innovation’ at the EU embassy to the U.S., will provide insights into her experiences representing the EU. Markus Gehring, visiting professor at Yale Law School, professor at Cambridge University and expert in EU environmental law, will provide background and comments.
The event will be organized as a closed shop and will take place under Chatham House rules.
