Climate Clubs: Minilateral Approach to Climate Change

The global challenge of climate change can be solved with effective mechanisms. In this context, commitments for combating climate change should be scrutinized with high deterrent sanctions or strong incentives. This thesis explores climate clubs, which is offered as one of the solutions to climate change, and how to encourage and accommodate countries with different concerns into this mechanism. The paper first addresses the issues of free-riding, carbon leakage, and competitiveness, which are the problems of current climate change mitigation efforts. Then, it examines which trade tools can be employed as a linking instrument within the climate clubs to achieve effective results and encourage the membership of various countries. Subsequently, the compatibility of these linking tools with WTO law was researched. Finally, the structure of climate clubs is evaluated in the context of developing countries.LL.M