Event replay

This event has now taken place – a replay is available below. 

Dr. Markus Richter
State Secretary and Federal Government Commissioner for Information Technology
German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community

Johannes Hahn
European Commissioner for Budget and Administration

Prof. Dr. Boris Otto
Member of the Interim Management Team and acting Interim CTO of the GAIA-X AISBL (under incorporation) 

About the Event

European Commission President von der Leyen’s biggest policy priority is the transition to a greener economy. She has described her European Green Deal proposal as Europe’s growth strategy. The Commission’s overarching climate ambition is to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. To reach this goal, the European Commission is proposing a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 1990) by 2030. The European Parliament has even called for a 60% reduction.

While some argued at the outset of the current pandemic that the European Green Deal should be watered down, the EU quickly agreed that the economic recovery and the green transition must go hand-in-hand. As a consequence, there is a real green dimension to the agreed recovery package, as well as to the EU’s new 7-year financial framework agreement. These agreements now need to be implemented and realised on the ground, at the same time as the European Green Deal becomes more and more concrete. The European Green Deal and the unprecedented efforts to ensure a sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic provide an opportunity for meaningful public action on air quality and other dimensions of environmental policy. If this “window of opportunity” is missed, air pollution will continue unabated to cause thousands of premature deaths and billions in economic damage. The European Commission has acknowledged this and will soon present its proposals for the way forward on air, water and soil.

A public consultation on the European Commission’s Zero Pollution Action Plan concluded earlier this year. The European Commission is now analysing the feedback received from the various stakeholder groups. It aims to publish the new Action Plan on 18 May 2021. This event will provide an opportunity to discuss the role of innovation and green technology moving forward, what Europe’s green industrial champions require in order to make a substantial contribution to the Zero Pollution Action Plan, and how business, civil society and policymakers can work together on its implementation.

Dr. Markus Richter
State Secretary and Federal Government Commissioner for Information Technology
German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community

Johannes Hahn
European Commissioner for Budget and Administration

Prof. Dr. Boris Otto
Member of the Interim Management Team and acting Interim CTO of the GAIA-X AISBL (under incorporation) 

Speakers include

Virginijus Sinkevičius​

Virginijus Sinkevičius

Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

European Commission

Photo Zakia Khattabi Ministre 240

Zakia Khattabi

Minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal

Federal Government of Belgium

Camus 240

Bertrand Camus

CEO

Suez

Lídia Pereira 240

Lídia Pereira MEP

Member

European Parliament

Roberto Grasso Picture

Roberto Grasso

Deputy General Counsel

Columbia Sportswear

Sonja-van-Renssen

Sonja van Renssen

Managing Editor

Energy Monitor

JBleriot 240

Jocelyn Blériot

Executive Lead Institutions, Governments and Cities

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

240

Pascal Canfin MEP (Renew, France)

Chair of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee

European Parliament

ZK 240

Zakia Khattabi

Minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal

European Commission

Roberto Grasso

Global Antitrust Counsel

Columbia Sportswear Company

Session Format

22 APRIL | 12:30 - 13:30 CEST

12:30 – 12:35

Welcome

Sonja-van-Renssen

Moderator: Sonja van Renssen
Managing Editor, Energy Monitor

12:35 – 12:40

Keynote Presentation

Photo Zakia Khattabi Ministre 240

Zakia Khattabi* 
Minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal, Federal Government of Belgium

12:40 – 13:25

Panel Debate and Audience Q&A

Khalil Rouhana
Deputy Director General, DG CONNECT, European Commission

Sonja-van-Renssen

Moderator: Sonja van Renssen
Managing Editor, Energy Monitor

Virginijus Sinkevičius​

Virginijus Sinkevičius
European Commissioner, Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

Camus 240

Bertrand Camus
CEO, Suez

Lídia Pereira 240

Lídia Pereira
MEP

JBleriot 240

Jocelyn Blériot
Executive Lead Institutions, Governments & Cities, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Roberto Grasso Picture

Roberto Grasso
Deputy General Counsel, Columbia Sportswear

13:25 – 13:30

Closing Remarks

Moderated by: Irena Bednarich
EMEA Director, Corporate Affairs, HPE

Prof. Dr. Boris Otto
Member of the Interim Management Team and acting Interim CTO of the GAIA-X AISBL (under incorporation) 

*Pre-recorded intervention

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Event Platform

This event will take place using Forum Europe’s virtual solutionFor more details on our virtual solution, please visit forum-europe.com.