On November 17, GLOBE EU invited representatives from the European Climate Foundation, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and IUCN to convey their organization’s perspective on the European Green Deal’s proposed measures and their likely impact on climate mitigation, resource consumption, and biodiversity. Panelists did not only consider the challenge to adopt a coherent approach to the implementation of the EGD throughout the policy-making process to avoid mutually conflicting measures. They also focused on what would be required to monitor the impact of all measures proposed by the EGD taken together: will a simple set of indicators be sufficient and how can the EU Commission ensure timely feedback on the effect of these measures so that it can modify policies if the EGD appears to be steering the EU in the wrong direction.
On April 28, 2021, GLOBE EU hosted Peter Bakker, President and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The WBCSD has asked GLOBE EU not to publish a recording of the event but instead recommends visiting https://timetotransform.biz/reinvention/. If you would like to receive a copy of the presentation, however, please contact rjam@globe-eu.org.
On June 10, 2021, GLOBE EU hosted Dr. Jem Bendell, Professor of Sustainability Leadership with the University of Cumbria.
Jem Bendell is the author of “Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy”, in which he argues that humanity needs to prepare for climate-driven societal collapse, as environmental change increasingly disrupts social, economic, and political systems. Unlike climate change adaptation, which aims to adapt societies gradually to the effects of climate change, deep adaptation accepts that abrupt transformations of the environment are imminent.
On 18 January, 2022, GLOBE EU hosted as its guest speaker Jason Hickel, who authored “Less is More: How Degrowth will save the World”. Dr. Hickel addressed the reality of climate change and what he believes to be the true root of the problem: Capitalism. He explained that, if we truly wish to overcome the largest issue humanity has ever faced, there is only one solution and that is degrowth.
On March 22, 2022, World Water Day, GLOBE EU welcomed Cate Lamb as its guest speaker. Ms Lamb is Global Director Water Security with the CDP and High-Level Climate Champion Lead for Water, UNFCCC. The event was sponsored by Ecolab, a member of the Bee Group.
On June 21, 2022, GLOBE EU hosted a WakeUp Call with Richard Heinberg. Richard is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost educators on the need to transition society off fossil fuels. He spoke on the 50th anniversary of the publication of “The Limits to Growth”.
On September 28, GLOBE EU welcomed Laura Cozzi, Chief Energy Modeller with the International Energy Agency. Laura addressed the current EU energy crisis and explained how Putin’s threat to cut off gas supplies to Member States could be used to boost clean energy and build a resilient & affordable EU energy system.
On September 8, members of GLOBE EU hosted an event (online, due to limited access to the European Parliament) together with experts on sustainable food systems, resource efficiency, and biodiversity to discuss how land for agricultural activities (growing crop, livestock) can be used more efficiently. Speakers demonstrated how land use optimization (e.g., by promoting regenerative agriculture) would not affect current yield levels while the environmental impact of farming would be significantly reduced thereby restoring biodiversity.
GLOBE EU, with the support of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and The Club of Rome, was pleased to host three panel discussions –on our use of natural resources, the protection of our natural capital, and the sustainability of urban infrastructures and mobility– in the European Parliament, Brussels, on October 15, 2019.
The conference, which was hosted by GLOBE EU members Sirpa Pietikäinen, Peter Liese, and Seb Dance, opened with a statement by general (retired) Tom Middendorp of the International Military Council on Climate and Security. His address was followed by interventions from Sandrine Dixson-Declève (The Club of Rome) and Joss Blériot (the Ellen MacArthur Foundation).
GLOBE EU organized on March 19 its first major event for 2019 on “fast-tracking a circular economy in the EU” together with the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS). The objective of the conference was to look back on what has been achieved and present GLOBE EU’s recommendations with priorities for the next European Commission. The event was very well attended thanks to an impressive line-up of speakers: GLOBE EU members and MEPs Sirpa Pietikäinen, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Benedek Javor, and Bas Eijkhout acted as hosts to Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen, Janez Potočnik, Vasileios Rizos, Luc Triangle, Carolien van Brunschot, Harriët Tiemens, and Eline Boon (see program below for details).
