Green Realpolitik : recasting Europe's climate and energy diplomacy

This paper explores how the European Union can recast its climate and energy diplomacy in an era marked by war, rivalry, and power politics. Looking ahead to COP30 in Belém, it highlights the strategic dilemmas confronting the EU and situates them in the context of the forthcoming Global Climate and Energy Vision, which must evolve from a sectoral plan into a genuinely strategic framework. The analysis shows that Europe holds powerful assets—credibility, market size, capital, and partnerships—but that these must be deployed with greater coherence, sharper narratives, and stronger institutional coordination. The conclusion argues that moral leadership alone no longer suffices: the EU must not abandon its values and green ambition, but must articulate them in ways that are realistic and compelling. This is what we call a Green Realpolitik.