The European Union’s Shifting Identity: The Frontrunner of the Green Transition or an Industrial Economy (2019-2025)

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Hanna Stranding

Summary, in English

Climate and environmental policy have long been a part of the European Union’s projected priorities in international relations. Despite multiple crises which have hampered ambitious policy development, climate diplomacy has continued to be an important part of the EU’s identity. Once again, the EU faces multiple challenges that have affected the projection of environmental ambition and the policy outcomes. The media and research have acknowledged this after the new Commission entered office for the 2024-2029 term. The question remains
how this change has developed, considering that the Commission continues to communicate its devotion to reaching the EU’s climate targets. By applying the methodology of Strategic Narratives by Alister Miskimmon, Ben O’Loughlin, and Laura Roselle, I aim to analyse the changes and continuity of the Commission's projected narrative for its environmental ambitions. The analysis will follow the three levels of strategic narratives: system narratives, identity narratives and issue narratives. I will use the constructivist concept of state identity
together with the concept of soft power to illustrate how environmental ambition is a part of the EU’s projected identity. The analysis will be grounded in the EU’s history of environmental and climate policy development and previous research, to further map out the continuous research on policy development in the EU.

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