Is Europe’s Green Deal at Risk?

• Florence School of Transnational Governance
• STG Climate

The climate crisis is a global problem that requires a global solution. That is why the UN and the Paris Agreement are so important. But are the commitments and policy pledges sufficient to deal with the climate crisis? This question will be addressed by Prof Jos Delbeke in the EIB Climate Chair Lecture with opening remarks by Prof Alex Stubb.

Recent developments in Europe and elsewhere show the magnitude of the challenge, and we only see the beginning of it in terms of droughts, forest fires, floods, disappearance of glaciers and more.

The EU has been developing its Green Deal to deliver on its commitments. But what are others such as the US, China, and other emerging economies doing? Phasing out the use of fossil fuels is a must, but is it going fast enough? On top of that, the war in Ukraine has created an energy crisis of unseen proportions and is in the centre of the political debates in all Member States.

At the same time the European ‘Fit for 55’ negotiations enter into full swing (trilogues) and the UN COP27 takes place in Egypt in November 2022. Is there a risk that the climate challenge will be pushed aside? Are the climate targets for 2030 and the climate neutrality for 2050 at risk? What can we expect?

The lecture will be followed by drinks at 18:00 in the courtyard of Palazzo Buontalenti.