This year, the EEAC Annual Conference – entitled: “The Critical Decade of Action: Mobilising Sustainability Transformation in Europe” will take place in Helsinki on September 14th and 15th 2022. The conference will be hosted by Finland’s three independent science panels, the Finnish Expert Panel for Sustainable Development, the Finnish Climate Change Panel and the Finnish Nature Panel.
The two-day conference brings together experts particularly from academia and government to discuss the next steps for facilitating the much-needed transformation in the critical decade of action. We will hear interesting keynote speeches and engage in sessions, including the following themes:
- Medium-term actions needed against biodiversity crisis
- Joining forces for sustainability transformation
- Europe’s global responsibility in climate change
Today, the first episode of a new podcast series ”Sustainability Made in Europe: A Policy Podcast on Finance, Reporting & Governance” is launched on Spotify and Anchor. The new podcast series debates major dynamics at the EU-level and presents expert views and backgrounds.
The first episode
In the first of four episodes, high-level experts such as Sandrine Dixson-Declѐve, Co-President of the Club of Rome and Udo Bullmann, member of the European Parliament, contribute their knowledge and experience. With a mix of expert interviews and contextual background information, this episode will provide a multi-perspective view on the European Green Deal and the EU’s sustainability policy in general.
The next series of episodes
In the following three episodes, the interviews with experts from politics, academia and business will focus on the EU Taxonomy, the draft Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the recently published draft Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which aims to ensure human rights and environmental protection along global value chains. The goal of the podcast series is to make complex sustainability issues accessible to a broad audience while also providing in-depth expert knowledge.
Background
The issues of sustainable finance, reporting and corporate governance are getting more and more attention in the European Union. Several regulatory initiatives have been published and have sometimes led to fierce debate. The new podcast series titled Sustainability Made in Europe: A Policy Podcast on Finance, Reporting & Governance picks up on these debates at the EU-level on various sustainability topics. Experts from academia, business and politics provide valuable insights into the most important legislative initiatives. The podcast series is a joint project of the Belgian (FRDO-CFDD) and German (RNE) Councils for Sustainable Development under the umbrella of the European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils Network (EEAC), implemented and hosted by Colin Bien from Masters of Change.
In prelude of the Europe-Africa week, the Belgium Federal Council for Sustainable Development (FRDO-CFDD) organized a webinar on the stakes of the EU-AU Summit 2022 conference. Representatives of the AU, the EU, the Belgian government and other experts explained the importance of this conference that will take place on 17-18 February 2022. The webinar recordings can be found here
The German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) issued a statement in 2021, which is now translated in English.
Despite its already established high leverage effect and the fact that some progress1 has already been made here, the circular economy has yet to take the spotlight in the political sphere. A strategic approach to circularity is urgently needed and should be developed, managed and implemented in a cross-ministerial capacity in line with efforts at EU level and together with international partner nations.
Against this backdrop the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) recommends organising the transition to circularity via a new, cross-ministerial governance mechanism coordinated by the German Federal Chancellery. An additional thirteen other recommendations – ranging from the need for social safeguarding instruments or expanding education and research – are part of the RNE’s statement.
To mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN) in 2020, UN Secretary[1]General António Guterres published the ‘Our Common Agenda’ report. A core theme of the report is greater solidarity between present and future generations – at the national level and in a multilateral system –aimed at helping to overcome complex global crises that already exist and prevent new ones from arising, while in general contributing to a more equitable world that is fit for the future.
The German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) recommends that the new Federal Government in Germany combine the strengthening of multilateralism referred to in the German Coalition Agreement with the objectives of social-ecological transformation at the global level and, to do so, adopt many of the UN Secretary General’s proposals as its own.
In the its statement, the RNE furthermore sets out, on the basis of the Our Common Agenda report, concrete recommendations for action on implementing the agenda in Germany, approaches for strengthening multilateralism in the United Nations and possible courses of action for enhancing governance of the global commons. Read More
The Planetary Health Alliance, in partnership with the EEAC Network, hosted the Planetary Health European Convening on January 18th 2022. 22 organizations from 9 countries across Europe attended, several of which represent many more countries in Europe and globally. Organizations representing a diverse array of sectors including healthcare, universities, religious institutions, humanitarian groups, youth, policy, business, and civil society joint. There were numerous interesting areas discussed, ranging from education courses and degrees; research agendas and gaps; to planetary health communication, policy, advocacy, and movement building. A next meeting is scheduled to take place in February 2022.
The Havard School of Pubic Health organizes the Planetary Health Colloquium, co-sponsored by the Harvard Global Health Institute, the Planetary Health Alliance and the EEAC Network. The Seminars will be held on the first Wednesday of each month from 7pm to 8pm CET, and will be held as an online event through the Zoom platform. Seminars are open to all Harvard and non-Harvard affiliated individuals. The next webinar is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022. Read More
The coastline has been and still is an essential part of Catalonia, not only from the environ[1]mental, social and economic viewpoints, but also for cultural and historical reasons. However, the Catalan coast is standing at a tipping point. In its publication ‘A coastline on the edge” the Advisory Council for the Sustainable Development of Catalonia (CADS) provides Recommendations for integrated management of the Catalan coast. Read More
The Federal Council for Sustainable Development (FRDO-CFDD, Belgium) commissioned a study regarding the need for electrification of mobility in Belgium, and the related economic, social and environmental impacts. The study was carried out by CLIMACT on behalf of the FRDO-CFDD. The views expressed in this report are those of CLIMACT and do not necessarily reflect those of the members of the FRDO-CFDD. Read More
The 29th EEAC Annual Conference took place over three mornings from Wednesday 17th November to Friday 19th November. Over two hundred fifty experts, academics, council representatives and policy makers attended the conference which was virtually hosted from Barcelona.
The conference addressed the digital transformation within a European context and the issues and opportunities it raises for sustainable development. Experts shared their views upon many exciting opportunities that the digital transformation and artificial intelligence systems offer for sustainability, but also warned against both intended and unintended negative consequences that the ongoing digital transition could have on the ambition to achieve a sustainable Europe by 2030.
The recordings of the three conference days can be found on the conference page. A written conference summary and cover letter presenting the key findings, conclusions and preliminary recommendations deriving from the 29th Annual Conference will follow in due time.
