An international political economy of climate change benchmarking: energy standard setting, responses and challenges

This chapter examines benchmarking, as a method of universal standard setting, with a specific emphasis on climate change benchmarking. The chapter is framed with reference to constructivist international political economy (IPE) that interprets benchmarks as constructed, open to contestation and change and deeply political. Four categories of climate change benchmarks are introduced, whilst some emphasis is placed on the manner in which each category tends to set new standards with specific relevance for energy sectors. This is one example of the ways in which climate change and energy policy areas are becoming intertwined within governance practices. The chapter also provides an overview of how those being benchmarked respond with some emphasis on non-state and sub-state actor groups – thereby revealing some new themes within the politics of climate change benchmarking.