EU climate policy between green backlash and competitiveness: What next?

Overview

Over the past decade, the European Union has established itself as a global leader in climate policy, most notably through the European Green Deal. As the focus shifts from agenda-setting to delivery, the central challenge is no longer ambition alone, but governance, implementation, and policy coherence in an increasingly complex economic and geopolitical environment.

This event will examine whether the EU’s current climate policy framework is equipped to deliver effective, credible, and socially accepted climate action. How robust are existing governance arrangements? How do climate objectives interact with industrial competitiveness, financial decision-making, and business engagement? And what adjustments may be needed to ensure that EU climate policies remain both ambitious and workable in practice?

Join us for this event featuring keynote speaker Sebastian Oberthür (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), followed by a high-level panel discussion with Thibaud Voita (Jacques Delors Institute), Meryem Bezzaz (CEE-Sciences Po), and Malo Bourel (Mouvement Impact France).

The discussion will be moderated by Marc Ringel (European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition, Sciences Po).

This event is organised by the European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition (Sciences Po), in partnership with the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE-Sciences Po), l’Association des anciens élèves du MBA Sciences Po, le groupe Sciences Po Alumni – Environnement et Développement Durable, MIT Club de France, and Conseil International Pour la Transmission Intellectuelle (CITI). 

Speaker bios

• Sebastian Oberthür is Professor for Environment and Sustainable Development at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Professor of Environmental Policy and Law at the University of Eastern Finland. A leading expert on EU and international climate governance, his research focuses on climate policy design, multilevel governance, and the interaction between international and European climate regimes. He has published extensively on EU climate leadership, international negotiations, and policy implementation, and regularly advises European and international institutions on climate policy and governance.
• Thibaud Voita is Advisor at the Jacques Delors Institute and a consultant. He specializes in international energy and climate policies, and energy efficiency. He also teaches at the EM Lyon Business School and Sciences Po.
• Meryem Bezzaz is a PhD Candidate at the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE) at Sciences Po, specialising on energy policies within the EU institutions.
• Malo Bourel is Head of Public Affairs at Mouvement Impact France, representing 30,000 French companies committed to the ecological and social transition and united by the belief that social, health, and environmental quality should drive competitiveness, sovereignty, and long-term attractiveness. He also coordinates the European coalition Business for a Better Tomorrow, leading its advocacy efforts to represent impact-driven businesses before the European institutions.