By Disaster or by Design?

In May 2022 the EU agreed on its REPowerEU package of policy measures with the dual goals of reducing energy dependence on Russia and tackling the climate crisis.

12 months on, this policy brief explores the design behind REPowerEU and draws lessons for policy design during polycrisis.

Quick policy responses can create unintended consequences, leading to backtracking on climate goals and other potential trade-offs and tensions. The policymaking process needs to balance the short-term goals of crisis response with long term-commitments to climate action to better mitigate trade-offs and tensions that may arise.

We find that normal EU policymaking processes are time-consuming, and policymakers need tools which can help them respond more quickly while also adhering to principles for effective governance for the green and just transition.

Based on expert interviews and insights from a roundtable event, this policy brief uses REPowerEU as an example to explore whether the European Commission maintained the principles for effective governance of the green and just transition. Doing so sheds light on the strengths and weaknesses of the EU’s crisis response and provides potential areas for improvement.

The briefing builds on ZOE Institute’s Principles of Effective Governance of the Green and Just Transition.