The European Union as a distinctive actor in global climate change policy

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Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, Uluslararası İlişkiler Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2015

Öğrenci: İLHAN SAĞSEN

Danışman: HÜSEYİN BAĞCI

Özet:

This dissertation focus on the relationship with the international climate change policy and key actors’ positions on global climate negotiations. The main aim of this dissertation is to show that the European Union takes a different position than other international actors in terms of international climate change negotiation and policy. This distinction stems from the founding philosophy of the European Union and its environmentalist tradition. The argument of this dissertation is that whereas nation-states in general, great emitter states in particular, emphasize their national interests regarding climate change issues, the EU behaves in different way. This different behavior stems from the factors of ‘logic of action,’ ‘supranational decision-making mechanism’ and ‘its concern of spreading the EU standards.’ Despite the fact that there are different views on climate change policy among the EU members and the EU (because it is itself a great emitting body), these factors enable the EU to behave differently than other actors in the international climate change process.