Climate governance may be one of the few areas where the EU and China still possess overlapping interests. CBAM could either worsen tensions by forming the basis for another trade dispute, or it could create a narrow but meaningful space for technical cooperation around verification, data quality and standards.
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will enter its definitive phase in January 2026, and CBAM tariffs are set to have major ramifications for countries exporting goods to the EU. What will be the impact of CBAM on Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, also referred to as the Greater Caspian region?
In the aftermath of COP28 in Dubai, the début of Vietnam’s Resource Mobilisation Plan (RMP) by its Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính signifies a notable milestone in advancing the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The timing of the launch also highlights the progress made one year after the collaborative agreement was formed between Vietnam and the International Partners Group (IPG), co-led by the EU and the UK, during the December 2022 EU-ASEAN summit in Brussels.
The European Institute for Asian Studies contributed to the 2023 Viet Nam – EU Trade Forum with an online presentation by EIAS Director Ms Lin Goethals on “Accompanying the manufacturing industry under pressure of green & sustainable development”. The Forum took place in Ho Chi Minh City on 27 November 2023.
The looming climate crisis has generated a pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Engaging China in the fight against climate change will be a crucial element in attaining this objective. China’s commitment in climate action has also grown considerably, as global climate governance has even become one of the country’s prototypical discursive frames in constructing its new international identity.
The proposed CBAM policy has been met with vehement opposition from the BRICS countries and major exporters. The EU must engage with its external trade partners to ensure it meets its emissions commitments by 2050. The question is how?