Description

 Over the past decades, economic growth has been closely tied to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuels powered this expansion, providing affordable energy that supported industrial development and prosperity. For long, the European Union was a chief beneficiary of this paradigm owing to its vast domestic resources. 
As the world inevitably transitions away from fossil fuels, new challenges arise. First, energy security is a major concern as new dependencies take form. China controls around 90% of the global supply of rare earth minerals. These are crucial for the conduct of the energy sector transformation and Russia's war on Ukraine exposed Europe's vulnerability to weaponizing key natural resource deliveries. Though American LNG and a mild winter helped mitigate the crisis, shifting US priorities mean Europe can no longer rely on transatlantic safety nets and must enhance its own resilience instead.
Second, the EU faces a pressing need to revive economic growth. In 1992, the EU accounted for about 30% of the global economy; today, it's just 15%. Combating climate change requires major investments in new infrastructures and public backing - both of which depend on building tangible economic momentum rather than taxing consumers and industry alike with the costs of transformation.
Caught between sluggish growth and rising security threats, Europe must now rethink its strategy to succeed in a changing global landscape. 

Speakers

Magdalena Sajdak (former Polish Academy of Sciences Director)
Martyna Zastawna (Climate Expert in Women Climate Leaders Network at the European Investment Bank i Sustainable Development Leader by Forbes) 
Francois Gemenne, Lecturer at HEC and Sciences Po
Romain Le Creff, Iliad Group Chief Sustainability Officer