Putting the Green Deal at the centre of the EU’s economic recovery from COVID-19

Media advisory: Webinar – 3 June – 16.00–17.00h CEST

National governments and EU institutions are now implementing monetary and fiscal policy measures that exceed those seen in response to the financial crisis in 2008. The economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic carries considerable risks – and opportunities – for Europe to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

How should the EU Green Deal be put at the heart of the COVID-19 economic recovery? Join researchers, business leaders and policymakers for a webinar to discuss how NextGenerationEU can build a more healthy, sustainable, and just Europe. The webinar is jointly organized by Member of the European Parliament Bas Eickhout and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).

“As a green leader, the world is looking to the EU to demonstrate that a sustainable recovery is possible and that we can address the health crisis, the economic crisis and the risks of climate change in smart and synergistic ways. This webinar will address the credibility, effectiveness and level of ambition of the proposed recovery package, and what kind of knowledge and evidence challenges are raised as the world starts to recover,” said Åsa Persson, Deputy Director and Research Director at SEI.

Speakers in the webinar will include Diederik Samsom, Head of the Cabinet of European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans; Åsa Persson, Deputy Director and Research Director at SEI; Gregor Vulturius, Research Fellow at SEI; and Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of the Club of Rome. It will be moderated by Bas Eickhout, Greens/EFA MEP and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

“The Commission’s economic recovery plan has been set in the right direction by boosting spending to build a more sustainable, resilient and just Europe. However, aligning recovery spending to the EU Green Deal might meet resistance from member states that have been hit by the COVID-19 crises. In my opinion, the investments proposed by the Commission are not enough to reduce emissions sufficiently in the coming decade to have a realistic chance of keeping with the Paris Climate Agreement,” said Gregor Vulturius, Research Fellow, SEI.

Through events like this, SEI aims to connect the findings from across its research programmes to important decision-making taking place at EU level.

Date: Webinar on Wednesday 3 June, 16.00–17.00h CEST, Brussels.
Registration: Sign up by 2 June to receive the webinar link via email.

Agenda and speakers

Moderated by Bas Eickhout, Greens/EFA MEP and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

*The audience is encouraged to join the discussion via the webinar’s chat function. Comments and questions raised in the chat will be relayed to the panel.
 

Read the agenda on the SEI website

For interviews, please contact:

Åsa Persson, Deputy Director and Research Director, SEI
asa.persson@sei.org, +46 73 707 8561

Gregor Vulturius, Research Fellow, SEI
gregor.vulturius@sei.org, +46 73 460 4851

Ylva Rylander, Press Officer, SEI
ylva.rylander@sei.org, +46 73 150 3384
 

Further information

Recovery plan for Europe

About the European Green Deal of the EU Commission

Commentary published in EURACTIV, signed by members of the Think Sustainable Europe network: ‘Europe’s recovery plans must pass five sustainability tests’

Tags: