Sustaining Europe needs something of a Union

Through successive enlargement, the European Union has grown from 6 founding states to 28 member countries, which comprise 7.3% of the world's total population.

With a collective economy worth €16.5 trillion, the European Union is the world's largest economy and is both the world's largest importer and exporter of manufactured goods and services. With over 500 environmental Directives, Regulations and Decisions, the EU has some of the most extensive environmental policies of any state or organisation in the world. As a key player in developing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, the EU was instrumental in setting the 2C global warming limit (agreeing to this as far back as 1996) and has long held an international leadership role in the battle against climate change.

So following sustainable developments in this politico-economic union remains something of a must.