To what extent has the Paris Agreement led to a shift in advocacy strategies and what are the consequences for the Net-Zero by 2050 objective ?

Details

Supervisors

Defraigne, Jean-Christophe ; Fontan, Clément

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master de spécialisation en entreprises et politiques économiques européennes

Abstract

Given the Net-Zero 2050 goal and the importance of transport in greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union, the automobile sector has been identified as a key actor in the transition. However, the same industry is also a highly powerful lobby. Given the increased urgency of climate change, the subject of whether there has been a shift in advocacy strategies since the Paris Agreement and what this implies for the Net-Zero 2050 goal was raised. To answer this question, a background on lobbying in the European Union was first provided, and numerous advocacy tactics were described in this context. Furthermore, both European Union Institutions' players and car industry lobbyists were highlighted, with a focus on Volkswagen. Following that, four distinct regulations were examined from 2009 to 2023 to determine if there has been a shift in advocacy techniques and interests protected since the Paris Agreement. Throughout this examination, the importance of the German automobile sector and Volkswagen has been emphasised on several occasions. A certain shift towards stricter regulations and an evolution in the automotive industry's ability to defend its interests is also apparent. However, even with the latest regulations, the industry managed to achieve its aims. In addition, the role of lobbyists in the regulations and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which is not following its course, has led us to discuss certain scenarios. Unfortunately, it seems that at present, the interests of capital and the environment are unlikely to be reconciled. In view of previous regulations and Germany's influence on them, it concluded that the interests of the car industry are likely to take precedence in the future. Along the paper, the reader must keep in mind that even though the world of lobbying is increasingly regulated, we don't have access to all the information. In addition, in this thesis the emphasis was on the capital interest, giving less consideration to countries and Member States. Finally, the analysis being conducted on only four different European regulations and the latest being very recent, there might be a lack of comparison and perspective.