The implementation of the European Union climate change policies : a case study of Sweden and Estonia

Abstract

Climate change is deemed to be one of the most discussed issues around the world due to its myriad impact on the environment and thus the way we live. The European Union is also suffering greatly from this change in the environment which is reflected in rapid temperature changes and drastic changes in the weather (Fisher 2020). This qualitative comparative case study will depict the main differences between the EU member states of Sweden and Estonia in the context of filling a research gap based on the following research question: How is Sweden running ahead of Estonia in drafting and adopting policies to reduce greenhouse gases emissions and thus tackle climate change to attain the EU 2030 and 2050 climate and energy targets? Sweden and Estonia are considered to be two member states that despite both making significant efforts to minimize the impact of climate change, many differences between the two may still be observed. From one end, Sweden is considered to be taking the issue of climate change more seriously than Estonia as depicted in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report published in 2017. In this report, it is stated that from the overall greenhouse gases emissions generated within the EU member states Estonia contributed 16% whilst Sweden contributed 5.5% (Kennell 2017). From these percentages, one could affirm that both member states could be differentiated since Estonia is contributing more than Sweden in terms of greenhouse emissions. In this manner, the comparative case study will depict the significant differences observed between both EU member states based on answering the research question.