Towards a political economy of the green transition.

Abstract

This review examines three recent books on the European Green Deal (EGD), analyzing the political and economic challenges of the EU's ambitious climate neutrality goals. The books offer comparative analysis of EU and US climate governance through punctuated equilibrium theory, explore barriers to sustainability across multiple policy domains, and investigate the legal dimensions of ecological sustainability. Though providing valuable empirical contributions, they inadequately address fundamental political economy questions regarding state-market relations and the green transition. The review argues for a more comprehensive theoretical framework that examines how climate policies interact with evolving policy paradigms, the emergence of winners and losers, and the role of various actors in shaping interventionist approaches. Understanding the EGD requires analyzing it through political economy lenses that connect domestic policy shifts with broader geopolitical trends.