Climate issue, Brexit: EU faces challenges in 2020

December served up a warning of the massive challenges ahead for the European Union.

Freak storms wreaked havoc on parts of southern Europe, showing how the impact of extreme weather will drive the bloc’s thinking and climate change policy over the coming years. The EU has already said it wants to spend effort and money to remain the global driver of measures to fight climate change. The United States also threatened sanctions against companies working on a gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, again showing that the trans-Atlantic alliance between EU nations and the U.S. stands for less and less in the age of power politics.

And across the Channel, a rare December election in Britain brought Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson a solid majority to back up his efforts to “get Brexit done.” As things stand, Britain on Jan. 31 is scheduled to become the first nation ever to leave the EU.

All these challenges will need a strong coordinated response from the EU’s soon-to-be 27 nations if they want to live up to their goal of having a bigger global impact.

“Europe must raise its voice more strongly in the world,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her New Year’s message.

 

Climate issue, Brexit: EU faces challenges in 2020

December served up a warning of the massive challenges ahead for the European Union. Freak storms wreaked havoc on parts of southern Europe, showing how the impact of extreme weather will drive the blocs thinking and climate change policy over the coming years. The EU has already said it wants to spend effort and money to remain the global driver of measures to fight climate change. The United States also threatened sanctions against companies working on a gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, again showing that the trans-Atlantic alliance between EU nations and the U.S. stands for less and less in the age of power politics. And across the Channel, a rare December election in Britain brought Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson a solid majority to back up his efforts to get Brexit done. As things stand, Britain on Jan. 31 is scheduled to become the first nation ever to leave the EU. All these challenges will need a strong coordinated response from the EUs soon-to-be 27 nations if they want to live up to their goal of having a bigger global impact. Europe must raise its voice more strongly in the world, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her New Years message.