Global and European Climate Policy

Abstract

Abstract In 2022, thirty years have passed since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This period is long enough to evaluate the effectiveness of this policy. The aim of this paper is to determine the achievements of climate policy so far and the most likely directions for further actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Particular attention was paid to agricultural emissions, which results from the significant share of agriculture in global emissions and the specific structure of emissions, i.e., the significant role of the sector in methane and nitrous oxide emissions. The paper uses statistical analysis based on the World Bank data. It was supplemented by a critical analysis of the literature on climate policy. The presented results show that the current policy does not bring the expected results. There are, however, some examples (the European Union), where the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is visible. As a result, the share of Community emissions in global emissions tends to decrease. This applies to both total and agricultural emissions, i.e., methane and nitrous oxide. Based on the presented data and global trends, it seems most likely that the current direction of changes will be continued, i.e., poor care for climate on a global scale and increasing emission restrictions in selected regions of the world. Nevertheless, this solution will be ineffective, since climate change is a global problem and must be solved globally.