Turning Cuts into Growth

Abstract

This chapter applies the Index of Policy Activity (IPA) to key climate and energy policies in Germany and the UK over fifteen years. It reveals a mixed picture regarding changes in the intensity of renewable energy and climate policies since the 2007–8 financial crisis, but finds that there has been deliberate and indirect policy dismantling in both states. Active policy dismantling is most evident in the UK. The chapter makes a novel contribution through its application of the IPA’s ‘budget’ indicator and reveals the importance of international targets, such as the European Union’s 2020 Strategy, in keeping governments on track.