From Rio to Durban:<br/> _{EU Actorness within UNFCCC}

Abstract

This paper analyses the reasons for the fluctuations of EU actorness within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), looking at four different Conferences of Parties (CoP): Rio, Kyoto, Copenhagen and Durban. It applies the concept of actorness established by Jupille and Caporaso who propose four criteria that need to be present to be an independent actor: recognition, authority, cohesion and autonomy. This study claims that EU actorness within UNFCCC improved slightly over time with decline in Copenhagen. However, one can still not call the EU an actor as powerful as a state. The main reason for this has been lacking autonomy from member states.