For this Master’s thesis and the corresponding research question specifically, the nexus between the EU’s ambitions regarding climate change and the subsequent negotiations between its member states, serves as a starting point for the inquiry and analysis at hand. Germany’s and Poland’s coal dominated energy sectors seem to have played a major role in the outcome of the negotiations for the EU’s climate neutrality plan by 2050. That's why the analysis will focus on the debate about the coal-phase out in both Germany and Poland. The first chapter will provide an overview of the literature and the state of research regarding the coal phase-out in Germany and Poland. In the second chapter, the analytical framework will be presented in greater detail.
This presentation of the analytical framework includes the introduction and description of the societal approach’s core assumptions and variables. Moreover, a brief outline of other domestic politics theories and the literature the societal approach is based on will be incorporated. The second chapter will further include the development of hypotheses that will be tested empirically in the subsequent case study. Following this, the third chapter will outline the research method and the operationalisation of the variables to be investigated. Further, this chapter will provide an explanation of the time frame of the study and the rationale for the selection of source material. The fourth chapter will consist of the actual comparative case study. This study will be divided into the German and the Polish case respectively.
Each case’s examination will follow the same structure and will be comprised of three major sections. In the first section, an introduction to each case will provide general information about the state of affairs regarding coal energy on the domestic level and the government’s position on the matter. The following sections of each case study will be comprised of subchapters dedicated to the analysis of the societal approach’s three independent variables. The fifth and final chapter of this Master's thesis will take up and discuss the findings from the two case studies. The fifth and final chapter of this Master's thesis consists of a discussion of the research results. In this chapter, the findings from the empirical study are linked to the previously theorised assumptions.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Research question
1.2 Epistemological interest and structure
2. Review of the literature and state of research
2.1 Literature on the energy transition in Germany
2.2 The Polish coal sector in scientific literature
2.3 Research gap and potential contributions
3. Theoretical framework: The societal approach to governmental preference formation
3.1 Domestic politics theories
3.2 Defining dependent and independent variables
3.3 Hypotheses
4. Methodology and operationalisation
4.1 Systematic process analysis
4.2 How to carry out systematic process analysis
4.3 Operationalisation of the variables
5. Case study 1: Germany
5.1 The German governmental position
5.2 Societal ideas in Germany
5.3 Material interests in Germany
5.4 Institutions in Germany
6. Case study 2: Poland
6.1 The Polish governmental position
6.2 Societal ideas in Poland
6.3 Material interests in Poland
6.4 Institutions in Poland
7. Discussion of the research findings and evaluation of the hypotheses
7.1 Hypothesis 1: Differing ideas and/or interest in international negotiations
7.2 Hypothesis 2: Interests and ideas. Competition or reinforcement?
7.3 Hypothesis 3: Conditions for potential compromise solutions
7.4 Limitations and potential for further research
8. Conclusion
Objective and Research Focus
The primary objective of this thesis is to investigate whether domestic societal influences can explain the diverging positions of Germany and Poland regarding the EU's climate neutrality goal for 2050 during the 2019 Council negotiations. The research seeks to determine how different national societal landscapes, characterized by distinct ideational and material factors, influence governmental preferences at the supranational level.
- Comparison of German and Polish coal phase-out strategies.
- Application of the "societal approach" to governmental preference formation.
- Analysis of the interplay between societal ideas, material interests, and institutions.
- Evaluation of domestic factors affecting international negotiation outcomes.
- Assessment of the role of energy sector stakeholders and public opinion.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Historically, the origins of what is known as the European Union (EU) today can be traced back all the way to the Treaty of Rome and the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC) on 25 March 1957 (Wessels 2008: 62). However, even before the Treaty of Rome, important steps towards European integration were taken. For example, one of the most important steps preceding the creation of the EEC was the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951. At the time, coal and steel were not only considered to be essential industrial raw materials and sources of energy but also of vital importance to a state’s ability to wage war. Therefore, the idea behind the creation of the ECSC was to interlink the national steel and coal industries of its member states. Especially the industries of Germany and France were to be connected in such a way, that the relationship between those countries would be strengthened and the atrocities of World War II, which had occurred only a few years prior, could be prevented in the future (Urwin 2009: 21).
This short excursion into the early history of European integration illustrates the crucial role that steel and more importantly coal has played in the process of bringing European nations closer to one another. Fast forward to the year 2021. The ECSC no longer exists and the EEC has merged into the European Union. Beyond that, European integration has come a long way since the 1950s and the EU has become a unique supranational organization with 27 member states. The EU in its current design possesses shared and exclusive competencies ranging from competition rules for the single market over negotiation rights for trade and international agreements to areas such as environmental protection and energy policy. Notably, environmental protection and energy policy have become ever more relevant in European politics since the effects and ramifications of climate change have become increasingly obvious. As a result, the EU is actively trying to develop a cohesive strategy to tackle the challenges posed by the implications of climate change.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical importance of coal in European integration and defines the research question regarding the diverging climate policy positions of Germany and Poland.
2. Review of the literature and state of research: Provides a comprehensive overview of existing scientific literature concerning the energy transition in Germany and the Polish coal sector.
3. Theoretical framework: The societal approach to governmental preference formation: Introduces Stefan Schirm's societal approach and discusses domestic politics theories relevant to the formation of state preferences.
4. Methodology and operationalisation: Describes the application of systematic process analysis to test the formulated hypotheses and operationalizes the key variables.
5. Case study 1: Germany: Examines the German government's position, societal ideas, and material interests regarding the coal phase-out.
6. Case study 2: Poland: Analyzes the Polish governmental stance, the role of societal actors, and the institutional structure of the energy sector.
7. Discussion of the research findings and evaluation of the hypotheses: Evaluates the hypotheses by comparing the empirical findings from both case studies.
8. Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis findings and confirms the decisive role of domestic societal factors in informing national positions on climate policy.
Keywords
Coal phase-out, European Union, Germany, Poland, Climate neutrality 2050, Societal approach, Energy transition, Domestic politics, Governmental preferences, Material interests, Institutionalism, Carbon emissions, Environmental policy, International negotiations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this Master's thesis?
The thesis focuses on explaining why Germany and Poland took different positions regarding the EU's 2050 climate neutrality goal during the 2019 Council meeting, despite both countries having significant coal-based energy sectors.
What are the primary themes addressed?
The work explores the intersection of domestic politics and international negotiations, focusing on how societal ideas, material interests of economic sectors, and national institutions shape governmental decision-making.
What is the main research question?
The research asks: Can Germany's and Poland's diverging positions at the 2019 Council meeting be explained by domestic societal influences?
Which methodology is employed for this study?
The author uses systematic process analysis, a qualitative and theory-oriented method, to evaluate the influence of causal factors on political outcomes in a comparative small-n case study design.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body provides a detailed literature review, establishes a theoretical framework based on the societal approach, details the methodology, and conducts comparative case studies of Germany and Poland, followed by an evaluation of three core hypotheses.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include coal phase-out, energy transition, societal approach, governmental preferences, domestic politics, and European climate policy.
How does the Polish government's approach differ from the German one?
The Polish government has traditionally rejected a coal exit to maintain energy security and protect jobs in the mining sector, whereas the German government has engaged in a consensus-based approach to formalize a gradual coal phase-out by 2038.
What role do institutions play in the societal approach?
Institutions are treated as formal regulations that structure socio-economic processes, potentially reinforcing either societal ideas or material interests in governmental preference formation.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Tobias Dorn (Autor:in), 2021, The EU's climate neutrality goal for 2050. A comparative case study of the coal phase out in Germany and Poland, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1188083
