The EU's climate neutrality goal for 2050. A comparative case study of the coal phase out in Germany and Poland

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

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.