Policy integration: decarbonisation and security of supply in the European Union's external energy policy (FWOAL928)

The project aims to examine levels of policy integration and to identify related main drivers and barriers as a contribution to a general theory of (climate) policy integration. It specifically explores varying levels of integration of the key policy objectives of decarbonisation and security of supply into the European Union’s external energy policy toward third countries. Based on existing literature on policy coherence and (environmental/climate) policy integration, it develops a novel framework for assessing the level of policy integration of the two aforementioned policy objectives and applies this framework to the EU’s external energy policy toward three key partner countries (Russia, Norway, Algeria or Azerbaijan), which feature different conditions. It subsequently develops and applies an explanatory framework featuring key theoretically derived variables relating to interests and power, institutions, and ideas and knowledge. The main focus of the project is on analysing these explanatory factors and tracing their links to the levels of policy integration found. The results
of the case studies are to be compared to generate general theory-building conclusions to be further tested in future research. In addition to the project’s innovative empirical focus connecting the scientific communities addressing climate and energy policy, respectively, the novel analytical framework enables progress toward a general theory of policy integration.

Keywords:energy policy

Disciplines:Political engagement, political participation