Introduction

Abstract

The background of the national and international climate debate is presented. In addition, the tendencies toward populism in the US and Europe are discussed—along with their significance for climate policy. Prospects for international policy cooperation are outlined with a view to achieving climate protection both ecologically and economically. The critical medium- and long-term challenges of global warming as highlighted by the IPCC in summer 2021 are outlined, and basic concepts from the climate policy debate are explained such as carbon leakage and carbon border adjustment mechanisms. Key arguments are presented, and the conceptual challenges of an efficient climate policy are outlined, including the fundamentally important role of the G20 taking into account the positions of China and India in particular. In addition, the concept of the G20Plus (=G20 plus Nigeria as the third largest country in the world by population in 2050 according to UN projections) is addressed, which is essential for the subsequent policy analysis. The perspective addresses the question of how to efficiently achieve climate neutrality by 2050—which is indeed possible with the right economic approaches and flanking measures as well as internationally realigned policies.