Beyond K yoto: The EU 's Contribution to a More Sustainable World Economy

The EU has been leading the world fight against climate change since the late 1990s. This activism on the international scene has served as a stimulus for a common action against global warming that has, in the last 10 years, become a world referent and the central issue in the EU environmental policy. The most relevant initiative is the greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions trading scheme ( ETS ), adopted in fulfilment of the K yoto P rotocol. In 2008, the EU adopted a new set of measures on climate and energy for the post‐ K yoto period (2013–2020). This new legal framework, coupled with the provisions introduced by the T reaty of L isbon and the ‘ E urope 2020’ strategy, represents the EU 's commitment to promote a more sustainable E uropean and world economic model.