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Despite numerous initiatives to curb methane emissions, concentrations continue to rise, posing the greatest threat to passing irreversible climate tipping points. In the face of ever-rising temperatures and worsening impacts of climate change, swift and bold leadership to reduce global methane emissions remains the most urgent low hanging fruit available to policymakers.

The passage of the EU’s first bloc-wide legislation on methane emissions is underway. One of the key issues for trialogues will be the question of what the EU can – and should – be doing about methane emissions beyond its borders.

In recent years, the EU has leveraged its buying power to encourage global leadership and action against climate change, establishing import rules to curb the negative impacts of deforestation, biofuels, and carbon-intensive products. With the EU importing over 90% of its oil and gas, it now has an opportunity to drastically cut methane emissions in the energy sector by establishing an EU Methane Import Standard in the forthcoming Methane Regulation.

On the flipside, legislation that only accounts for domestic methane emissions would be a major step back from the oft-stated goal of the Von der Leyen Commission for the EU to lead from the front on this issue.

With many important questions surrounding the feasibility, legality, and broader impact of such a standard, this event will bring a diverse group of policy-makers, NGOS, academics, and industry stakeholders together for a constructive discussion on how the EU can best tackle methane emissions abroad. The event will showcase CATF and Carbon Limit’s new report on this issue, and build clarity around the legal, regulatory, and technical steps needed to create a comprehensive, effective, and WTO-compliant standard.

When one considers the future of transport, typically it is assumed to be simple extrapolation and evolution of existing technologies. On the one hand – it's about spreading its range (i.e. construction of further High-speed rail lines), on the other – it’s about continuous improvements that allow to reach better operational parameters and reliability while reducing unit variable costs (i.e. decreased usage of energy per passenger km). However, these continuous improvements are reaching their barriers: railways, after almost 200 years of improvements, seem to have limited possibilities for further upgrades of efficiency, while aviation – despite declared ambitious net-zero goals – is still far away from reaching these targets.

Today, societies have two main goals related to transportation. First, they want it to be as sustainable as possible, as the climate crisis becomes an increasingly important issue. Second, the reduced carbon footprint cannot come at a cost of reduced mobility. Railways, considered as the most sustainable mode of transportation, can offer an alternative to regional aviation to an extent, but with speeds up to 300kph they are not competitive at distances above 1000km (i.e. at a majority of intra-European “regional” routes). In other words, there is a substantial market gap – lack of a next-gen zero-emitting transport mode, which would be competitive against aviation at distances ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 km.

A European company, Nevomo, is bridging this gap by developing a new generation of High-speed railways. During the first part of the event Nevomo will unveil results of unprecedented levitation tests on conventional railway infrastructure using its revolutionary MagRail technology. Levitation capabilities drastically reduce friction, increase efficiency and speed, while retrofitting existing rail systems is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and allows for interoperability with already deployed trains.

After that panelists will discuss the social, economic, and environmental impact, as well as potential financing opportunities of levitating MagRail trains on already existing railway infrastructure.

The accession of Serbia to the European Union has been on the current agenda for the future enlargement of the EU since 2012 when it became a candidate for accession. Serbia officially applied for European Union membership on 22 December 2009. Accession negotiations are ongoing.

By December 2021, 22 out of 35 chapters have been opened (including all chapters under cluster 1 on the fundamentals of the process and cluster 4 on Green agenda and sustainable connectivity), two of which are provisionally closed.

Just like other EU Member States, the Republic of Serbia strives to build a society whose key values are pluralism, tolerance, solidarity, nondiscrimination, the rule of law, and strengthening democratic institutions as a guarantee that these values will be cherished and enhanced.

The Republic of Serbia is, to an extent, already integrated in the European economic processes. Serbia wants to take its place in the EU, respecting the market economy rules and social justice and building its own capacities so that once it has joined the EU it is a prepared and competitive European economy.

The EU is strongly committed to the Western Balkans’ European integration process and there is political determination for these countries to make progress. “We are creating opportunities, finding solutions, moving forward”, it is said in Brussels, “but”. There is always 'Yes, But' idiom.

After a keynote by Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister of Serbia, the panel will debate the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans and the next chapter for Serbia in the context of its future accession to the European Union, and will address the following main questions:

How is Serbia evolving on its path to EU membership?
Why is there always a ‘YES, BUT’ principle?
What’s next for Serbia’s EU accession?
What’s the future of the EU-Serbia relationship?
Organised by: EURACTIV Serbia
Media Partner: EURACTIV

Following the publication of the ambitious plan or revision of the European Pharmaceutical Legislation by the European Commission, the European Expert Group of Orphan Drug Incentives will host its first signature event to reflect on how the Union can face the challenges ahead for people affected by rare
conditions and enablers of innovation. We will present our policy recommendations for an efficient revision of the OMP Regulation by focusing on modulation of market exclusivity, and we will officially launch our proposals for an EU HTA methodology for OMPs.

Join us for an event that brings together a diverse group of rare disease experts to discuss and propose policy recommendations for improving the European legislative framework for orphan drugs. With a focus on collaboration and consensus-building, this event is meant to create a meaningful dialogue and help chart a path forward for a more effective legislative and regulatory framework, capable of addressing the needs of people with rare conditions and boosting innovation.

Established in 2020, the European Expert Group on Orphan Drug Incentives (OD Expert Group) is a multidisciplinary and cross-functional expert group that brings together representatives of the broad rare disease community, including researchers, academia, patient representatives, members of the investor community, rare disease companies and trade associations. Our experts and representatives of the decision-making processes will explore ideas for navigating the challenges ahead, trying to address the question of how to create a resilient ecosystem for rare diseases.

Organised by: The European Expert Group on Orphan Drug Incentives (OD Expert Group)
Media Partner: EURACTIV

Wind, solar, hydrogen, electric vehicles, next-generation construction – these are the technologies that will drive the EU towards net zero and they are all built on steel.

As a critical input for building clean tech infrastructure, the EU steel sector is the key to deliver on the decarbonisation of the broader European economy. It is also a crucial moment to deliver on its decarbonisation across its manufacturing base and ensure the competitiveness of its 60 green steel projects by 2030.

However, these efforts require joined-up thinking in industrial policy as much as they demand sustainable, reliable, low-carbon energy. The U.S. has shown a possible way forward with the Inflation Reduction Act.

Relisten to this EUROFER Conference to learn about those pressing issues with CEOs and business leaders from the entire manufacturing value chain, in particular across the steel, renewables and electrolysers sectors, as well as with senior officials and policymakers charged with accelerating Europe’s green transition.

Panellists exchanged views on:

Policies to incentivise sustained investment in European clean tech value chains.
How to support decarbonisation of manufacturing while avoiding carbon leakage as well as green investment leakage.
Boosting hydrogen capacity and building a crisis-proof electricity market design ensuring affordable prices for industrial consumers who are net-zero drivers.

Organised by: EUROFER
Media Partner: EURACTIV

On the 23 rd of February, the European Commission launched a broad exploratory consultation on the future of the connectivity sector and its infrastructure. It addresses several key aspects of the sector: the technological and market developments, fairness for consumers, barriers to the single market and fair contribution by all digital players.

Following the adoption of the Digital Decade Decision that sets up ambitious goals in terms of digitalisation of the EU and connectivity, this consultation is essential to assess:

The infrastructures needed in the near future for Europe to achieve those targets
How to lead the EU digital transformation in the coming years, and
What level of investment is needed for the sector.

It is expected that a wide range of stakeholders will contribute to it.

After a keynote by Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market, the panel debated on the opportunities and the challenges of the European network operators for the coming years, and addressed the following main questions:

What will be the role of European network operators in the next 10 years; What are the main transformations or innovations that will impact their operations, their business models?
What are the weaknesses and strengths of the digital single market? Is it delivering in terms of inclusion, green transition, digital autonomy, and EU competitiveness?
How to ensure the achievement of the Digital Decade goals especially in terms of connectivity?
Organised by: Orange
Media Partner: EURACTIV

The hospitality sector is one of the key drivers of the EU economy. HoReCa businesses (Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes) provide 11 million jobs in the EU27 countries and contribute between 2-3% of total EU GDP. Of almost 2 million HoReCa enterprises within the EU, 89% are micro-sized (employing less than 10 persons), meaning small independently owned businesses.

Looking at the years ahead, the sector is facing significant challenges. Two and a half years of Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns have left economic repercussions that are still felt up to this day. But financial recovery from the pandemic is not the only challenge the hospitality industry is facing. Inflation and high energy costs are heavy burdens, especially for the owners of independent businesses. Labour shortages continue to be a pressing issue. Although these existed before, they were exacerbated by the pandemic, with 10-20% of the workforce having switched to other sectors. At the same time, sustainability demands are increasing, be it due to the digital and green transitions or new customer demands on animal welfare as well as regional sourcing.

This panel discussed what skills are necessary to make the hospitality sector fit-for-the-future, more resilient and more sustainable at the same time. Questions that guided the discussion with invited panellists from the European institutions and the hospitality industry included:

• How are restaurateurs handling new sustainability requirements and what are their expectations towards policymakers?
• What skills are necessary to help independent business owners adapt and attract new workforce?
• Why is digital savviness essential for the optimisation of processes, while at the same contributing to sustainability goals?

Organised by: METRO Media Partner: EURACTIV

For food safety purposes and market demands for bioenergy production, it is paramount that the agricultural sector worldwide becomes more climate resilient. As temperatures rise, rainfall patterns change and pests and diseases mutate, food and farming systems face increasing threats.

This webinar focused on solutions to reduce the climate footprint of livestock raising – an issue of major concern to both Brazil and Ireland.

In Ireland, agriculture accounts for over 37% of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Recently, the Irish government set a ceiling for emissions in the sector, requiring a 25% reduction by 2030 compared to 2018 levels.

The Brazilian livestock sector has incorporated increasingly sustainable practices. In April 2021, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) created the ABC+ Plan for the adaptation of agriculture to low carbon emissions systems. The observed trend in the Brazilian beef industry is to marginally increase the herd while reducing the grazing areas. This is achieved by: i) increasing the productivity of existing pastures; ii) enhancing herd health and nutrition; iii) improving animal management; and iv) implementing technology- intensive and integrated systems.

Furthermore, the renowned Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) covered the Carbon Neutral Beef (CNB) brand and method of production, a seal which certifies beef produced using systems that neutralise methane gas emissions.

Rewatch this webinar to find out about challenges and best practices to reduce the environmental footprint of the livestock breeding with panellists from Brazil and Ireland. The event was an opportunity to open up a discussion forum between Brazilian and Irish stakeholders.

Organised by: ApexBrasil & the Embassy of Brazil in Dublin
Media Partner: EURACTIV

In this webinar we looked into how European satellite technology is used to effectively and strategically support and monitor Europe’s green transition. Experts in the field discussed what the needs in the future are likely to be – and who will deliver the technologies we will need.

Effective implementation of the European Green Deal is crucial for our common future. Earth observation through the EU Copernicus satellite programme is key for monitoring climate change and supporting climate mitigation and adaptation measures. Satellite technology enables efficient land use and planning, forest and water management and contributes to monitoring of erosion and fire risk. It is key for surveillance of environmental crime, detecting oil spills, and monitoring the marine environment including sea levels and sea ice coverage, as well as locating marine plastics.

In this webinar, we elaborated on experiences with satellite data as an enabler for the green transition. Furthermore, an expert panel discussed how the development of European satellite technology will increase our potential to reach the objectives of the European Green Deal, while contributing to increased resilience and security and to strengthening Europe’s position in the space field. The potential benefits for EU environmental and climate policies are considerable.

The goal of the webinar was to reach out to a broad audience interested in space policy and/or climate issues, including both policy makers, industrial actors and other stakeholders in both Brussels and Member States.

Organised by: The Mission of Norway to the EU
Media Partner: EURACTIV

Europe’s transition to a sustainable and digital society can only happen with a strategic approach to raw materials; from electric mobility and battery storage to renewable energy and energy-efficient buildings, all the way to defence applications, raw materials are essential/indispensable to achieve the EU’s 2050 climate-neutrality ambitions. Aluminium specifically is set to play a key role as the demand for electric vehicles, electricity transmission networks and solar panels increases. A study by KU Leuven shows that the EU energy transition will lead to a 30% increase in aluminium demand by 2040. In this scenario, increasing and preserving the capacity of Europe's low-carbon primary aluminium production, while boosting the recycling value chain is the only way Europe can meet the growing demand and achieve strategic autonomy.

In light of the risk of structural import dependencies, trade diversification alone – although necessary – will not suffice. To strengthen the resilience of domestic industries, other measures must be ramped up to help increase supply security, obtain more significant investments, and scale up recycling capacity to recover valuable secondary raw materials such as aluminium.

The Critical Raw Materials Act provides a unique opportunity to deliver a European industrial agenda supporting sustainable growth and strategic autonomy while ensuring raw materials production and transformation at the highest environmental and social standards. To guarantee success, concrete policy measures and investments will have to be considered for all the raw material industries, including those not deemed “scarce” or “rare”. Europe needs to develop a holistic, future-looking raw materials strategy that is capable of supporting societally critical industries and transition technologies alike

This roundtable debate, organised by European Aluminium in partnership with EURACTIV provided a platform for policymakers and industry stakeholders to exchange on the future of the raw materials industry in Europe, the opportunities and cornerstones of an effective Raw Materials Act - with a focus on the aluminium industry.

Organised by: European Aluminium
Media Partner: EURACTIV

In late 2021, the European Commission proposed the Methane Regulation, the first EU-wide legislation aimed at cutting methane emissions. As reducing methane emissions is crucial to slow down global warming, the EU should lead by the example and adopt ambitious requirements to address methane emissions in the energy sector. Since December 2021, however, the file has stalled in the European Parliament while ambitious measures found limited support or interest in the Council of the European Union. The Ukraine war also changed the energy discussions in Europe.

Both institutions are set to release their preliminary approaches to the file soon. This event is designed to highlight the importance of the regulation and the measures needed to reduce domestic and international methane emissions, and to reflect on the radical shifts in the European policy landscape as a result of the Ukraine situation and the Commission’s RePowerEU plan in response.

The event will bring together civil society, industry and policymakers into moderated panel discussions.

Organised by: Clean Air Task Force
Media Partner: EURACTIV

Did you know that 50% of all public investment in the European Union is carried out by subnational governments in the 27 member states? Did you know that the EU's capital is a city of one million with a history going back a thousand years?

Letter from Brussels is a 15-minute podcast bringing you stories about the leaders making the EU a reality on the ground, as well as little-known stories about the city of Brussels, capital of the Union. The podcast comes out approximately every two months and is produced by the Renew Europe group in the European Committee of the Regions.

Episode 10 is coming soon, in the meantime catch up with episode 8, Ukrainian Reconstruction and the Alexandrov Ship, which tells the amazing connection between the city of Brussels and an event that happened in the Ukrainian city of Odessa exactly one year ago. You can subscribe to the podcast on most major podcast platforms, as well as on YouTube and via the Renew Europe CoR website.

Some of Europe’s poorest countries and communities would be hardest hit by disruptions of Russian energy supplies. With a difficult winter ahead, Europe’s ability to redistribute costs equitably and to shield the most vulnerable will determine whether it can preserve social cohesion and the consensus on the war in Ukraine. It will also be a test case for its commitment to climate justice in the long run.

Which European countries and communities will be most affected by the deepening energy crisis and how well positioned are they to cope? What are the best approaches to mitigate this fallout in both the short and long term? A panel of experts will discuss policy options that meet the need for a principled foreign policy towards Russia, while upholding the EU’s commitment to equity and a just energy transition at home.

You can watch the recording of the first event of the series, “Fueling the War: Why Energy Sanctions Matter and How to Make Them Effective”, from 24 May 2022, here, and of the second event, “Accelerating the Green Transition in Europe: Life after Russian Fossil Fuels”, from 1 July 2022, on the EURACTIV events website.

Organised by: Open Society Foundations
Media Partner: EURACTIV

Biomass is Europe’s largest source of renewable energy, currently accounting for almost 60% of our renewable energy mix and 11.5% of the EU’s final energy consumption. Sustainably sourced primary or woody biomass accounts for almost half of all biomass consumed in the EU, making it an essential feedstock for Europe’s energy security.

The European Parliament and European Commission have proposed to increase Europe’s renewable energy targets to 45% by 2030, meaning that the EU must approximately double its renewable energy output in less than 10 years. RePowerEU also seeks to move away from Russian-sourced energy, with an immediate focus on Europe building out domestic, renewable supply.

The revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) therefore comes at a critical time for the energy sector, with supply chains impacted by the fall-out of the war in Ukraine, and with consumers across Europe suffering from the economic implications of a contracting supply.

Just one week before RED III goes to a Plenary vote in Parliament, this Hybrid Conference, hosted by the World Bioenergy Association, supported by Bioenergy Europe and with EURACTIV as Media Partner, looked at the text of RED III, and the amendments proposed by the European Parliament. The event heard views from the forestry, policymaking, academic and analyst communities on the potential impacts RED III could have on the EU biomass- and hence renewable energy markets.

Schneider Electric, in partnership with EURACTIV, invites you to a panel discussion on how REPowerEU can further empower consumers, so that they could play a key role in transforming Europe energy system in the next seven years. The combination of energy efficiency, demand-side flexibility and electrification can radically transform Europe’s energy system from a bottom-up perspective. The Fit for 55 package has identified ways to accelerate energy efficiency and electrification of critical segments of the EU economy such as building, industry and transport. Solar panels, heat pumps and EV charging stations on one hand; energy efficiency targets, minimum energy performance standards, reform of the Emission Trading Schemes and renewable energy targets on the other hand. These are examples of technologies and policies which are being discussed at European Union level at this moment.

We have invited a few key decision-makers from the EU institutions, key policy analysts and Schneider Electric’s Europe CEO, Philippe Delorme, to discuss these policy proposals and to address some burning questions: Are the newly proposed objectives in RePowerEU too much or not enough? How can we create a systemic change that will create value while ensuring Europe’ sustainability and resilience? What are the loopholes in the European Commission proposal? Can we make it in such short timeframe? And above all, how could the EU develop a new policy framework that will put consumers in the driving seat of Europe’s energy transition journey ?

The event was held in hybrid format and lasted 1h15.

ORGANISED BY: Schneider Electric

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

Following the agreement by EU leaders to ban shipments of Russian oil, our next event on EU energy sanctions on Russia will look at Europe’s ability to meet both its deadlines for ending dependence on Russian fossil fuels, as well as its targets for emissions and renewables. The event will focus on the unprecedented opening that this moment offers to catalyse Europe’s transition to greater energy efficiency and the build-out of renewable technologies, but also the challenges to the green agenda posed by the unforeseen and abrupt decoupling from Russian energy sources.

The panel addressed the following main questions: What solutions does the green transition offer and what are the risks as member states rush to secure alternative sources of fuel? How can a fuel imports embargo go along with enhanced efforts to accelerate Europe’s energy transition and how to avoid the dangers of falling back onto outdated and unsustainable technologies and lock-in effects of new projects and infrastructures? What EU level measures will be needed to help the most exposed member-states to make the transition, and how to incentivise companies and households to shift their consumption patterns?

This is the second event in the series “Fueling the War”, which brings together experts from fields as diverse as energy, climate and social justice, and leading thinkers and civil society from Ukraine, the EU and Russia to examine the complexities of the energy crisis. You can watch the recording of the first discussion, “Fueling the War: Why Energy Sanctions Matter and How to Make Them Effective” on Open Society Foundations’ website.

Buildings everywhere need to decarbonise

In its bid to be climate-neutral by 2050, the EU is revising the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) to be more ambitious towards renovating the EU’s building stock, almost 75% of which is energy inefficient. The recent REPowerEU plan adds further emphasis on the need to cut our energy demand in light of the global energy market disruption. One of priorities of the EPBD proposal is to modernise buildings and their heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. The challenge is to design smart policies to ensure the 130 million people living in rural areas across Europe are not excluded from the green transition.

Liquid gases are a key part of the energy policy puzzle

Electrifying heating and cooling in buildings is possible for a large portion of the population, but it is not the silver bullet in the decarbonisation of buildings. Off-grid, vulnerable communities risk being excluded from viable heating solutions as the current proposal favours technologies that might be unsuitable, unaffordable or both.

Relisten to this virtual conference organised by Liquid Gas Europe in media partnership with EURACTIV to find out what can be done to improve the existing regulatory framework to help support the decarbonisation of the built environment that includes rural communities. Discussed questions included:
• What could be improved in the current EPBD proposal to better support decarbonisation of the built environment for all?
• What are the sustainable energy solutions that are better suited to rural communities?

ORGANISED BY: Liquid Gas Europe

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

The upcoming revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) offers an opportunity for sustainable packaging solutions to advance the EU’s climate neutrality and circular economy objectives.

The panel discussion gave the opportunity to stakeholders from all spectrums to explore what the new rules should focus on in order to achieve the objectives of the European Green DeaI. It is essential to rely on evidence-based solutions at a time when the European Union is working to make its economy truly circular. This is why Ramboll presented its latest study which challenges the common perception that reusable tableware found in European quick-service restaurants for in-store consumption has lower environmental impacts than current paper-based packaging.

This event was organised by the European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA). EPPA represents food and foodservice packaging companies from across Europe. Their priority is to provide paper-based low carbon and health-safe products with a low environmental impact and improved recycling solutions to the European population. EPPA supports science-based EU policies that foster sustainable and efficient use of resources and recognises the major role that packaging, as essential infrastructure, can play in that common objective.

ORGANISED BY: European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA)

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

This event examined how RePowerEU plans could be implemented in ways that ensure a ‘win-win’ for both climate and biodiversity. It examined the role of science and data to achieve this and draw on some existing examples to explore how best practice in renewable energy siting could be strengthened and scaled up in Europe to help make RePowerEU a success. It also looked at how Europe could harness the global interest and momentum behind RePowerEU to develop and help roll out best practice on renewable energy siting around the world, as part of its climate and biodiversity leadership for implementing both the Paris Agreement and the new Global Biodiversity Framework which global leaders are aiming for at COP15 later this year.

ORGANISED BY: The Nature Conservancy

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

In this podcast created by Medicines for Europe, the presenter informally discusses a key topic related to off-patent medicines with two or more experts, focusing on generics, biosimilar and value added medicines.

The second episode of Conversations on EU Pharma will focus on equitable access to medicines for patients and how the path to timely access to treatment can be challenging.

With a focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the consequences of the pandemic on healthcare systems, our host and honourable speakers exchange their views on thoughtful policy reforms to ensure equitable access to medicines for all patients across Europe.

In this episode, our guests are Radu Costin Gănescu, President of COPAC (National Coalition of Organisations for Patients with Chronic Conditions of Romania) and Treasurer of the EPF Board (European Patients’ Forum) and Vera Pataki, Head of International Market Access, Egis and Chair of the CEE Network at Medicines for Europe.

Our host is Adrian van den Hoven, Director General at Medicines for Europe.

To learn more, consult our report “Removing access barriers in Central and Eastern Europe: How can we ensure equitable access to medicines for all European patients”?

Thank you for listening to us.

Please note that the episode was recorded before the Russia-Ukraine War, which is also impacting many Central and Eastern European countries.

Digestive cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related death in Europe. Yet, strong evidence suggests that they are at least partly preventable. To that end, evidence-based primary prevention policies and screening offer the best chance of a contribution to beat digestive cancers and save lives.

In light of this, and the roll-out of the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, the discussion cast light on the current challenges and policy opportunities in cancer prevention. Participants of the discussion addressed:

The current state of digestive cancers in Europe and the rationale for primary and secondary prevention
Opportunities for digestive cancers prevention in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
Existing challenges: knowledge gaps and unmet patient needs

The event is an annual meeting of the MEP Digestive Health Group(MEP DHG). The MEP DHG is a cross-party platform of Members of the European Parliament from different EU Member States, acting as the voice for digestive health in the European Parliament and prompting European action to reduce the burden of digestive diseases.

For the European Green Deal to succeed, the EU must foster sustainable economic systems and societal wellbeing across the planet. Positive system change is essential to avoid climate and environmental disaster, and the best chance of making it happen is through serious implementation of the European Green Deal (EGD) and the Sustainable Development Goals. But the EU cannot achieve sustainability on just one continent, given the web of interdependencies in the globalised economy. Decarbonisation and dematerialisation of wealthy economies will have profound effects in other regions, requiring Europe to reimagine most of its trade relationships and create more equal partnerships.

Current debates on EGD implementation hardly consider its global implications. A new report, International System Change Compass: The Global Implications of Achieving the European Green Deal, takes up that task. It unpacks the global interdependencies affected by EGD implementation; points to the collaborative efforts needed to foster sustainable economic systems, mitigate negative cross-border spill-overs, and maximize societal wellbeing; suggests how the EU could channel the investments that will be needed to help many countries on their paths to sustainability; and considers how the EU can maintain productive industry at home whilst enabling a just transition globally. At the heart of the report is the realisation that the success of the European transition is inseparably linked to the global transition.

The report sets out how a narrow focus on emissions reductions through incremental efficiency gains will lead to disaster. Such minor changes within the current economic system won’t solve the resource crisis; they won’t solve the biodiversity crisis; and they won’t address fundamental injustices across the world and within societies. Only a holistic approach toward system change that addresses the impact of Europe’s resource usage and overall consumption footprint can achieve the inclusive transition needed to save our planet and provide a fair future for us all.

At this launch event, the Open Society European Policy Institute, The Club of Rome and SYSTEMIQ presented the core findings and implications of their new report. An expert panel then reacted to the report and discussed its consequences for European policy.

This Stars4Media event concluded the implementation of Stars4Media Second Edition and launched Stars4Media NEWS.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness and gather nascent ideas about Stars4Media NEWS. This leveraged the existing Stars4Media community of media innovators, plus attracted other interested media leaders. It served a space for discussion, networking and brainstorming on the business transformation of news media.

In this podcast created by Medicines for Europe, the presenter informally discusses a key topic related to off-patent medicines with two or more experts, focusing on generics, biosimilar and value added medicines.

In our very first episode, we will talk about Value Added Medicines (VAMs) to understand what benefits they can deliver to patients and the whole healthcare community.

Our guests will be Monica Fletcher OBE, FERS, FQNI Honorary Research Fellow from the University of Edinburgh and Maja Sercic, Policy & Science manager at Medicines for Europe.

Kate O’Regan, Communications & Stakeholder Relations Senior Manager from Medicines for Europe will be our host.

If this episode piques your curiosity, visit the VAMs section on our website for more information.

To learn more about the benefits of VAMs for patients with respiratory diseases, check Monica Fletcher‘s publications and take a look at the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research and at BREATHE – The Health Data Research Hub for Respiratory Health.

This is the third event in the Brazil Talks webinar series: Sustainability, Innovation and Productivity.

The transformation to a low carbon economy and adaptation to the climate crisis is one of the priorities raised in COP26 by all countries.

Significant efforts have been made in the Brazilian industry, specially in the latest decade, towards greater efficiency and sustainability. Focus has been given in lower carbon emissions, and social and environmental responsibility. With this modern fashion, Brazilian industry has the potential to become an important player not only in South America, but also in the global community.

The strength of the Brazilian industry represents a less pollutive production with lower transportation costs, due to the country’s proximity to many consumer markets. The country has already one of the cleanest energy matrixes of the world, and has a significant room for improvement from its privileged potential from solar, wind, biomass and hydraulic sources of energy.
By applying low carbon technologies developed locally and abroad, Brazilian players have received prizes and recognition worldwide. The Brazilian market for hydrogen is one of those examples, in which home based and foreign investments have given it high levels of international competitiveness. This webinar covered this and other examples of sustainability in the Brazilian industry.

ORGANISED BY: The Embassy of Brazil in Berlin and ApexBrasil

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

This is the second event in the Brazil Talks webinar series: Sustainability, Innovation and Productivity. It is also an official side-event of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2022.

Brazil’s energy mix is one of the cleanest in the world: renewables account for 45% of primary energy demand and for 84% on power generation. The idea, however, is not to stand behind those numbers. Brazil will join decarbonisation efforts and become one of the greatest renewable energy producers in the world. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the share of wind and solar in the Brazilian energy matrix will increase from 4.4% in 2015 to 44% in 2040.

Apart from those two resources, Brazil is also moving forward on hydrogen and other low carbon intensity technologies, in particular biomass and biofuels. In that webinar, the focus was on demonstrating how Brazil is dealing with energy transition, and the strategy to use Brazilian wealth of natural resources to meet the purpose of neutral economy.

This is the second event in the Brazil Talks webinar series: Sustainability, Innovation and Productivity. It is also an official side-event of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2022.

Brazil’s energy mix is one of the cleanest in the world: renewables account for 45% of primary energy demand and for 84% on power generation. The idea, however, is not to stand behind those numbers. Brazil will join decarbonisation efforts and become one of the greatest renewable energy producers in the world. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the share of wind and solar in the Brazilian energy matrix will increase from 4.4% in 2015 to 44% in 2040.

Apart from those two resources, Brazil is also moving forward on hydrogen and other low carbon intensity technologies, in particular biomass and biofuels. In that webinar, the focus was on demonstrating how Brazil is dealing with energy transition, and the strategy to use Brazilian wealth of natural resources to meet the purpose of neutral economy.

The EU is taking a bold step in its attempt to regulate artificial intelligence – a technology that is increasingly used in many areas of public life. Unfortunately, artificial intelligence systems also exacerbate existing injustices and create new harms for people who already suffer from racial discrimination and systemic injustice. The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act brings a unique opportunity to correct and prevent those harms, and to give people ways to seek redress.

The Open Society European Policy Institute and European Digital Rights (EDRi) invite you to relisten to us on a deep dive with EU policy-makers, academic and civil society experts. The virtual conference explored how the Artificial Intelligence Act can be a positive force in Europe towards protecting people's human rights and delivering social justice.

The EU is taking a bold step in its attempt to regulate artificial intelligence – a technology that is increasingly used in many areas of public life. Unfortunately, artificial intelligence systems also exacerbate existing injustices and create new harms for people who already suffer from racial discrimination and systemic injustice. The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act brings a unique opportunity to correct and prevent those harms, and to give people ways to seek redress.

The Open Society European Policy Institute and European Digital Rights (EDRi) invite you to relisten to us on a deep dive with EU policy-makers, academic and civil society experts. The virtual conference explored how the Artificial Intelligence Act can be a positive force in Europe towards protecting people's human rights and delivering social justice.

The EU is taking a bold step in its attempt to regulate artificial intelligence – a technology that is increasingly used in many areas of public life. Unfortunately, artificial intelligence systems also exacerbate existing injustices and create new harms for people who already suffer from racial discrimination and systemic injustice. The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act brings a unique opportunity to correct and prevent those harms, and to give people ways to seek redress.

The Open Society European Policy Institute and European Digital Rights (EDRi) invite you to relisten to us on a deep dive with EU policy-makers, academic and civil society experts. The virtual conference explored how the Artificial Intelligence Act can be a positive force in Europe towards protecting people's human rights and delivering social justice.

The EU is taking a bold step in its attempt to regulate artificial intelligence – a technology that is increasingly used in many areas of public life. Unfortunately, artificial intelligence systems also exacerbate existing injustices and create new harms for people who already suffer from racial discrimination and systemic injustice. The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act brings a unique opportunity to correct and prevent those harms, and to give people ways to seek redress.

The Open Society European Policy Institute and European Digital Rights (EDRi) invite you to relisten to us on a deep dive with EU policy-makers, academic and civil society experts. The virtual conference explored how the Artificial Intelligence Act can be a positive force in Europe towards protecting people's human rights and delivering social justice.

The present COVID-19 crisis, which revolutionised the way people and companies use ICT and other digital technologies to work and interact, has also highlighted the urgency to promote gender balance in the digital sector. Inequalities were identified decades ago, and efforts have been made to address them over the years. Nevertheless, such gender unbalance persists in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields generally, and in the digital sector specifically (e.g. digital technologies, Computer Science, Information Technology, Information and Communication Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, etc.).

It is necessary to encourage women’s participation in technical and high-level jobs by overcoming educational barriers from an early stage, as well as professional barriers, while guaranteeing digital lifelong learning for women.

Eliminating the gender gap will boost prosperity at all levels and ensure social justice through enhanced equality between women and men.

To this end, not only public authorities are asked to combat the digital gender gap: private actors are also expected to carry out targeted actions to efficiently enhance the participation and role of women in the digital economy.

How to promote gender equality in ICT companies and related sectors and in the digital economy? What policies and targeted measures can be adopted to reduce the gender gap in the digital economy? How can the Commission and Member States foster women’s entrepreneurship and engagement in innovation?

We, the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking, support the digital transformation of all economic and societal sectors, and we want to address such issues from an internal point of view. We are confident that our high-tech community (Electronic Components and Systems) may propose concrete measures and actions in this respect and become a model to follow.

This is the first event in the Brazil Talks webinar series: Sustainability, Innovation and Productivity.

Brazil is currently not only one of the biggest food producers in the world, but also a centre of innovation in several areas, especially those related to food and energy production. With one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world and a significant portion of the planet’s native forests, Brazil has become an essential partner in ensuring world food security, preserving biodiversity and fighting climate change. The country's outstanding performance in agriculture is certainly in part due to the very advantageous natural characteristics of its territory. But that does not explain everything.

Research and innovation have played a fundamental role in the development of Brazilian agriculture. In this seminar, the aim is to show how innovation was the cornerstone of the Brazilian agricultural revolution of the 20th century, and its key role in the new revolution now underway: that of sustainability of national agricultural production.

Despite the country’s important achievements in the field of food production and sustainability, illegal deforestation remains a clear challenge for Brazilian society. Stakeholders should assess the matter in an objective and transparent way, and never in ways that favour the undeclared commercial interests of third parties. Above all, the issue of illegal deforestation can only be solved by Brazilians themselves. It is in the best interest of the country, its citizens and businesses that the strict national forestry legislation is complied with, and that the good practices developed at national level are maintained to achieve the environmental and climate protection goals embraced by the country.

Listen to this podcast to learn more:

how current European health policy corresponds to the expectations of European citizens;
proposals on how to improve the state of Europeans’ health;
how to create a European Health Union and establish it in the Treaty on European Union;
the dangers of postponing European Health issues for the future.

Listen to this audio to learn more about the findings from Open Society European Policy Institute’s new report, How clean are Europe’s food supply chains? The myths fuelling the massive growth of Spain’s pork industry, which seeks to uncover the environmental and human rights impact of industrialised meat production in the EU.

Prof. Ettore Capri from the OPERA research center, had the privilege of inviting policymakers, academia, industry and civil society to join us in a lively debate moderated by EURACTIV. Our panelists tackled questions including:

What is cadmium and why it is present in European soils?
What are the latest scientific findings on cadmium in phosphates?
What are the bottlenecks to achieving clean soils in the EU?
What can policymakers do to incite farmers to use cleaner phosphates while preserving the EU’s agriculture sector?
How can we make the population aware of soil pollution and incite the value chain contribute to ‘get clean’?

In this event, the Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives discussed how to make a successful story for small producers in the international market, while a representative of the country Ministry for Agriculture delivered the country efforts to enhance this phenomenon from a legislative perspective. The German Cooperation for Sustainable Development, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ, GmbH, joined the discussion adding on how synergies between supply and demand markets can contribute to this process.

The webinar focused on the solutions to the Irish challenge of decarbonising its transport sector and how sustainable biofuels, alongside other measures, can contribute towards it. Land use and sustainability issues; food security; second generation and advanced biofuels; voluntary certification and traceability within supply chains; Brazil’s new National Policy on Biofuels and its decarbonisation credits (RenovaBio and CBios) all were discussed. The Irish proposals and possibilities to decarbonise its transport system were outlined by the Irish Bioenergy Association and its experts.

The future of Europe’s digital economy, be it in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, communications infrastructure or autonomous driving, will have an leading-edge semiconductor at its heart.

The EU has set forward an ambitious goal to produce 20% of the world’s cutting-edge semiconductors by 2030, up from 9% today. The current chip shortage and its effects on European industry have demonstrated how important a reliable and resilient supply of semiconductors is today. At the same time, Europe’s consumption of leading-edge semiconductors is expected to skyrocket in the next decade.

The global management consultancy Kearney has produced a report for Intel on the future demand of leading-edge semiconductors for Europe and their role for strategic industries in Europe. The report draws on input and intelligence from a cross-section of the ecosystem that surrounds the semiconductor industry in Europe and beyond.

Rewatch this Intel event, in partnership with our media partner EURACTIV, to learn more about the importance of leading-edge semiconductors for the European economy.

ORGANISED BY: Intel

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

2.12.0.0

Buildings are at the center of our daily lives, where we work, live and rest. On average, people spend 80% of their lives inside buildings – from office buildings, schools, hospitals, to homes. With the Covid 19 crisis, we have never spent so much time indoors since the last 18 months.

At the same time, around 11% of the EU population is living in inefficient homes and affected by energy poverty; the annual renovation rate of the building stock varies from 0.4 to 1.2% in the Member States; more than 220 million existing buildings are energy-inefficient, with many relying on fossil fuels for heating and cooling while the energy prices have recently skyrocketed in a number of EU countries, highlighting the need to cut down Europe’s long-time dependency on fossil fuels.

Not only do we need to speed up the decarbonization of the building stock, which still represents 40 % of EU’s energy consumption and 38% of its emissions, but we must renew our approach by putting buildings at their right place, e.g. as the cornerstone of our efforts.

By laying down new foundations, buildings could become the centre of our energy system, with an holistic approach combining decarbonization with energy efficient buildings, direct electrification with on-site renewables, distributed and flexible energy resources such as electric vehicles charging stations. Digital will be the backbone of this integrated, decentralized and decarbonized, adjusting to people and system needs.

Rewatch this Virtual Conference to find out how buildings could lay the foundation of an energy-efficient and decarbonized future. The event covered the following questions:
- Which policy measures are needed in the fit for 55 package (Renewable Energy Directive, Energy Efficiency Directive, ETS, Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation etc.) to unleash the full (holistic) potential of buildings?
- Following the EU System Integration Strategy and the Renovation Wave, how can buildings be at the center of an integrated, digitalized and decarbonized energy system?
- After the last revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, what are the remaining hurdles and needs, to accelerate the deployment of digital technologies in buildings?
- Which impact for consumers and citizens in this renewed efficient energy system?

ORGANISED BY: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

2.12.0.0

Current major issues have profoundly changed the way we work, highlighting the crucial needs for European societies to constantly develop the skills of workers and their well-being. Life-long-learning schemes, upskilling and reskilling are the cornerstones to empower workers to steadily face the most important shifts in the workplace and the job market, brought by globalisation, digitalisation, robotisation and the green transition.

In 2020, the European Commission launched its “Pact for Skills” and has invited public and private organisations to take concrete actions to upskill and reskill people in the support of a fair and resilient recovery. In a changing world, the key to the improvement of the well-being of workers can be found in the development of skills programmes by public authorities and companies. Upskilling and reskilling are an essential part of a healthy workplace and, ultimately, healthy people. Upskilling & reskilling programmes that takes the well-being of the workforce into account need to be developed.

The coalition All Policies for a Healthy Europe is keen to demonstrate the interlinkages between health and all other major aspects in European citizens’ lives. In the event, a wide panel of organisations and institutions will exchange on the topic and share flagship actions and best practices on upskilling and reskilling as part of the well-being of European citizens.

On Monday, 25 October, ESWET organise an online event to discuss the issue of non-recyclable waste and the role of Waste-to-Energy as a sustainable waste management option, gathering supporters and opponents of the technology around the same table.

How will European waste management look like in the next thirty years? Can we avoid the generation of non-recyclable waste? Can Waste-to-Energy become carbon neutral thanks to the integration of CCS? These are some of the questions that will be addressed by experts covering the waste management industry as well as the consultancies and the NGOs most active on the topic.

Starting from the EU Green Deal pillars – Circular Economy, Zero Pollution, and Climate Neutrality – the event aims to debate how to improve the sustainability of waste treatment in the EU and discuss the role of Waste-to-Energy.

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