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'''<big>Stakeholders</big>'''
Since this topic will be tackled in a EU perspective, it is crucial to define the EU's stance as well as the opportunities of using soft power to influence a truly global matter. Soft power refers to the ability of making a stance and a change through talk, external policies, culture and political debate; opposite to the use of hard power - force, coercion and using money as means of persuasion. The EU is a major stakeholder in the climate justice issue and must represent the moral values that it defends throughout all the process.
 
The key actors of this topic also include the '''developing countries''', especially the four largest developing nations - '''Brazil, Russia, India and China''' (also called the '''BRIC’s'''). With a combined population of 3 billion people, the BRIC’s will have a huge impact on the future of climate change.
 
Not only do '''fossil fuels produce 90% of the Russia’s energy''' , they are also responsible for half of the government’s budget<ref>“Total Petroleum and Other Liquids Production – 2016”, retrieved from: https://www.eia.gov/beta/international/?fips=rs</ref>. Nevertheless, '''Russia could be seriously damaged by climate change''', which threatens around 2/3 of the Russian territory. With the tensions between Russia and the EU heating up because of the Ukrainian conflict and sanctions from the European Union, the US and others resulting in quid-pro-quo sanctions from Russia, including a ban on food imports from the EU, can the EU ensure a joint commitment to tackle climate change?
 
'''India''' suffers from '''resource scarcity''' on a level unlike any other nation and its '''pollution''' issues are rising to a very problematic level equal or worse than China.<ref>“SAFAR – India”, retrieved from: http://safar.tropmet.res.in/</ref> Besides, India’s '''population density''' makes any struggles the country has much more difficult. As a result, much of the sustainable development discussion in India has focused on inclusion and basic human rights’ development. Despite that, India is an example of many green companies and buildings being developed and could u'''se its underdevelopment to promote green development from the beginning.'''
 
In the meantime in '''Brazil, pollution, floods and natural disasters''' hit its peak while the environmentalists and governments’ fights against the '''deforestation''' of the Amazon forest continue. Furthermore, Brazil’s '''political instability''' raises the question on the future of its development policies.
 
'''China’s air pollution''' is one of the biggest environmental challenges seen today. China’s social, working and environmental policies are under the world’s scrutiny. The country is fighting pollution by enabling local governments to fine polluters on a daily basis until the problems are fixed and eliminating a cap on the fines. With green companies, projects and commitments growing, China has an '''opportunity to be a role model''' for the world – and to '''promote major market changes.'''
 
How can the '''EU influence''' these economic powers that are still now deciding between fossil fuels or clean energy and human rights or economic growth? We must also take into account that the path the BRIC’s choose now will also influence the future of the countries that are going to be in the spotlight of development soon, such as Colombia, Nepal, Indonesia and the Balkan countries.
Even though the '''EU and the United States of America''' are often seen as '''“the West”''' and in many levels share a set of common values and ideas, when it comes to climate justice, their ideas and policies vary widely. With the USA being the second largest GHG’s emitter - In 2015, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,587 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents – and with Trump's very well-known '''support of the fossil fuel industry''' and the recent drop out of the Paris Agreement, the '''USA environmental policy''' could severely weaken the chances of mitigating climate change.
<big>'''Opportunities'''</big>
Since this topic will be tackled in a EU perspective, it is crucial to define the EU's stance as well as the opportunities of using soft power to influence a truly global matter. Soft power refers to the ability of making a stance and a change through talk, external policies, culture and political debate; opposite to the use of hard power - force, coercion and using money as means of persuasion. The EU is a major stakeholder in the climate justice issue and must represent the moral values that it defends throughout all the process.
 
The use of soft power becomes especially relevant when it comes to the BRICs. How can the '''EU influence''' these economic powers that are still now deciding between fossil fuels or clean energy and human rights or economic growth? We must also take into account that the path the BRIC’s choose now will also influence the future of the countries that are going to be in the spotlight of development soon, such as Colombia, Nepal, Indonesia and the Balkan countries.
The '''EU’s stance''' on climate justice is that financial support to developing countries should be based on '''"low carbon development strategies"''' developed by them. These should set out which measures a country can take without additional financial and technical assistance. The [[European Commission]] also proposes that developed countries can contribute via the use of '''carbon crediting mechanisms and public funding'''. Public financial contributions should be based on emission levels and each country’s economic capability<ref>"Climate action", retrieved from: https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/international/cooperation_en</ref>.
In order to achieve the [[UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development|UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development]] the first step is the '''mapping exercise of external policies'''. It also needs a detailed and comprehensive gap analysis and assessment in order to identify the real gaps that exist between current external policies and programmes and the future ones. The future ones should fully include, mainstream and integrate, in a balanced and fair way, the economic, social and environmental pillars of the 2030 Agenda. For this, the EU needs to make civil society organisations in third countries '''real partners in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.''' The [[European Commission]] has drafted a [http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/swd-key-european-actions-2030-agenda-sdgs-390-20161122_en.pdf document] establishing the '''priorities, policies, funds and other actions''' cover all Sustainable Development Goals and making sure they provide a '''significant contribution''' to their implementation, both within the EU and through EU external action.
'''COP 22''' took place in Marrakech in 2016 and marked the transition from the main discussion being developing the [[Paris Agreement]] to how to better implement it. '''COP 23''' will take place in Bonn in November 2018 and will for sure debate the best '''international approach''' to dealing with the opting out of the [[Paris Agreement]] by the United States of America and the '''future of the Agreement'''. What should the EU's stance be in COP23COP 23? What chances of using its soft power before and after the Conference does it have? 
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