GLOBE EU Events

Leena Ylä-Mononen’s Presentation of EEA’s Europe Environment 2025 report

Summary of Leena Ylä-Mononen’s Presentation to GLOBE EU on Europe’s Environment 2025

Leena Ylä-Mononen, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency, presented the Agency’s comprehensive report to Sirpa Pietikäinen and members of the GLOBE EU network on October 13, 2025. Her presentation covered Europe’s environment and its trajectory towards resilience, prosperity, and sustainability.

Biodiversity and Ecosystems:

State of Biodiversity: Current declines in biodiversity and ecosystem pollution are pressing concerns. Protected areas, water, climate impacts, and land use are explored to assess ecological health.
Trends and Outlook: Past trends over the last 10-15 years show a decline, and the future outlook remains challenging unless actionable changes occur.

Climate Change:

Key Areas: Examination of greenhouse gas emissions, mobility, energy systems, CO2 storage, climate risks, and governance presents a comprehensive picture of climate-related issues.
Economic Impact: Increasing economic losses are anticipated due to the rising impacts of climate change.

Environment and Health:

Health Impacts: Focused on pollutant emissions, air and water quality, noise pollution, and the associated health inequalities.
Policy Impact: EU air quality policies have proven effective in saving lives, demonstrating the importance of continued and improved interventions.

Circular Economy:

Circular Design and Waste: Analysis reveals stagnation in achieving circularity, with waste generation and recycling processes needing significant improvement.
Consumption Impact: Consumption patterns remain unsustainable, reinforcing the need for systemic change.

Red Flags:

Ongoing Issues: Continued biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and water scarcity have severe implications.
Climate and Emissions: The transport and agriculture sectors are notable contributors to emissions, hampering progress.
Circularity: The transition towards a circular economy is progressing slowly, necessitating accelerated initiatives.

Overall, Ms. Ylä-Mononen highlighted critical challenges and areas for improvement in Europe’s environmental policies and practices to achieve a sustainable future.

Europe’s environment 2025

Securing Critical Raw Materials Through Circularity

On September 30, MEPs Sirpa Pietikäinen, Pascal Canfin, and Bruno Tobback hosted a conference focused on the role of circularity in preserving the EU’s critical raw materials. This event was co-organized with The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, with a keynote address delivered by CEO Jonquil Hackenberg. The conference featured two panel discussions with contributions from representatives of Bee Group members Eastman and Tarkett, as well as partners like GLOBE EU, WRI, and EMF. Additional insights were provided by The Club of Rome, DG-GROW, Eurometaux, and Umicore, all exploring the intersections of the Green Deal and material security within the EU.

Jonquil Hackenberg

Anders Wijkman

Eric Dehouck

Wen-Yu Weng

Joan Canton

Kamila Slupek

MyriamTryjefaczka

Wouter Ghyoot

Ke Wang

Final Program

Speakers Compilation

Summary

GLOBE EU event – Greening Competitiveness: The EU Industry’s Path to Sustainable Leadership

MEPs and GLOBE EU members Sirpa Pietikäinen, Bruno Tobback, and Martin Hojsík on July 1 welcomed Peter Bakker (WBCSD) and a diverse group of experts and business representatives to discuss the conditions necessary for European industrial sectors to remain competitive while continuously improving their long-term sustainability.

The event featured presentations by Bee Group members Amcor, Dow, Ecolab, and Rockwool, who shared successful strategies for enhancing resource efficiency across the value chain. Following these presentations, funding specialists examined the structural changes required to facilitate investment in start-ups and provide the support these companies need to grow.

The third panel discussion was dedicated to exploring the role of digitalization and artificial intelligence, with insights from representatives of Deutsche Telekom, Google, Cisco, and Kyndryl.

Key suggestions for policy improvements to facilitate the green industrial transition in Europe included implementing better circular economy incentives, reforming electricity market design to promote renewable energy sources, and developing more effective funding mechanisms to support large-scale investments — highlighting that public funding alone is insufficient.

Additionally, participants called for harmonizing and simplifying regulations, especially concerning waste and secondary raw materials, to reduce business complexity and enable scalable circular solutions. They also stressed the importance of stable regulatory environments, long-term visions, and policies that balance clarity with substance to attract investments and support innovation in green technologies.

Agenda

Speakers’ Compilation

Summary

Rockwool presentation

Google White Paper

GLOBE EU 2025 Overshoot Day

Sirpa Pietikäinen, with Manuela Ripa, Bruno Tobback, and Sara Matthieu, hosted an event in the European Parliament’s VoxBox on April 29 to draw attention to overconsumption. The MEPs welcomed high school students from the European Schools in Brussels and two international schools in India.

This annual GLOBE EU gathering highlights Earth Overshoot Day, which falls on April 29 this year for the European Union.

During the event, students Mia, Alice, Edvards, Arnav, Zoé, Melina, Abigail, and Aishani engaged in discussions on various topics, including the importance of systemic changes, informed consumer choices, and the need for binding targets and long-term vision to tackle overconsumption and achieve sustainability goals.

Summary

GLOBE EU Conference “Charting the Path to Sustainable Economic Development”

On March 25, Sirpa Pietikäinen and Manuela Ripa welcomed Professor Tim Jackson as the keynote speaker at the GLOBE EU conference, titled “Charting the Path to Sustainable Economic Development”. The conference aimed to chart a transformative path for sustainable economic development while respecting Earth’s ecological limits.

After his keynote address, Tim joined the first panel discussion, which was moderated by Manuela Ripa and included representatives from DEAL, REAL, Curasan, and Leiden University. In the second panel discussion, Sirpa Pietikäinen led a conversation on financing, featuring representatives from Triodos Bank, Dow, Counter-Balance, and Finance Watch. The third panel discussion on new economic models was chaired by Janez Potocnik, a member of the GLOBE EU Advisory Council, and included representatives from WRI, The Club of Rome, EASAC, the Commission’s DG-RTD, and the Munich Business School.