Council approves conclusions bolstering climate and energy diplomacy in a critical decade

The Council today approved conclusions reaffirming that EU climate and energy diplomacy is a core component of EU’s foreign policy.

The Council approved conclusions reaffirming that EU climate and energy diplomacy is a core component of EU’s foreign policy, and stressing the EU determination to engage and work with partners worldwide to implement the Paris Agreement, limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels, support the most vulnerable countries in adapting to climate change effects, and increase collective climate finance.

The conclusions also reaffirm the engagement of EU’s external energy policy to support, intensify and accelerate the ongoing global energy transition as a crucial element towards achieving climate neutrality so that it is inclusive, just and ensures energy security and universal access to safe, sustainable and affordable energy.

The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine has precipitated an energy security and food crisis with global impacts.

Their aim is to guide joint EU diplomatic outreach in 2023, a particularly important year featuring the Climate Ambition Summit and the political phase of the ‘Global Stocktake’ at the UNFCCC COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.