Strengthening the Paris Agreement through trade? The potential and limitations of EU preferential trade agreements for climate governance
Since 2019, EU trade agreements have included a commitment to ’effectively implement the Paris Agreement’ in their trade and sustainability chapter. This article unpacks what this actually entails, highlighting how the commitment within the trade agreements has evolved over time from a non-binding statement of shared intent, into a legally binding obligation. The article shows that, with sufficient political backing, the commitment can significantly strengthen the climate regime.