A dutch energy farm on the coast. An aerial view of wind turbines, Holland - stock photo

An aerial view of wind turbines, Holland. Photo: Karl Hendon / Getty Images

The Think2030 Dialogue Sweden 2023 will gather decision-makers and analysts from policy, business and research across Europe to debate the key sustainability issues at stake for EU policy.  

The Think2030 Dialogue Sweden takes place in the framework of the activities of Think2030 platform, created by the Institute for European Environmental Policy in 2018 to provide science-policy solutions for a more sustainable Europe. This event is a follow-up to the latest Think2030 biannual conference that took place in Paris in 2022.  

The event will be held in Stockholm on 20 April in direct connection with the informal meeting of EU environment ministers. This provides a unique opportunity to gather high-level representatives from EU member states to reflect on the outcome of the informal ministerial meeting and focus on the EU’s sustainability goals achieving the common vision described in the European Green Deal.

The overarching theme of the 2023 Think2030 Dialogue is the role of the EU in securing future sustainability and resilience within Europe and abroad. The Think2030 Dialogue Sweden will include high-level policy debates and science and policy sessions focusing on four key thematic issues.

  1. Energy transition and the cost of living: How to strike the right balance between short-term fixes and long-term solutions to the energy crisis
  2. Climate security and trade in times of multiple crises
  3. Innovation and industry transition: towards a green industrial strategy
  4. European Green Deal 2024 and beyond, which vision and priorities for the EGD 2.0?

The sessions will address sustainability issues against the backdrop of broader issues facing the EU, including security and geopolitics, innovation and competitiveness, and social inclusion in the transition. It will focus on emerging priorities and work of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, but also the next Trio Presidency, beginning with Spain as the next Presidency.  

Draft Agenda  

9:15 – 9:40 Welcome: Navigating crises through sustainability 

  • Måns Nilsson, Executive Director,  SEI 
  • Anna Jöborn, Executive Director, Mistra, 
  • Johan Kuylenstierna, Director General, Formas 
  • Göran von Sydow, Director General, SIEPS,  
  • Eero Yrjö-Koskinen, Executive  Director, IEEP 

9:40 – 10:00 Opening remarks: The agenda for the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU and ways forward for sustainability in the EU 

  • Daniel Westlén, State Secretary to the Swedish Minister for Climate and the Environment  

10:00 – 10:45 High level policy panel: Can the EU become the world’s number one exporter of sustainability and resilience?  

  • Zakia Khattabi, Belgian Minister of Climate, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal 
  • Norbert Kurilla, Senior Green Transition Advisor to the President of Slovakia 
  • Teresa Ribera, Spanish Minister for the Ecological Transition (TBC) 

Moderated by: Robert Watt, Engagement Director, SEI 

11:15 – 12:30 Parallel Policy Sessions 1 & 2 

Science & Policy Session 1: Energy transitions and the cost of living: how to strike the right balance between short term fixes and long-term solutions to the energy crisis? 

Co-leads: IDDRI & BC3 

Moderator: Nicolas Berghmans, Lead European affairs and energy and climate expert, IDDRI, France  

Speakers: 

    • Mikel Gonzales, Senior researcher, BC3 (Basque Centre for Climate Change)  
    • Anette Persson, Policy officer Energy efficiency: Buildings and Products at European Commission DG ENERGY 
    • Claudia Strambo, Research Fellow, SEI  
    • Oskar Ahnfelt, VP Public & Regulatory Affairs, Vattenfall  
    • Isabell Büschel – Director, Spain – Transport & Environment  

Science & Policy Session 2: Climate security and trade in times of multiple crises 

Co-leads: Mistra & IISD  

Moderator: Nathalie Bernasconi, Vice-President, Global Strategies and Managing Director, Europe IISD  

Rapporteur: Antoine Oger, Head of Global Challenges and SDGs Team, IEEP, Belgium  

Keynote speaker:

    • Henrik Carlsen, Co-Director Mistra Geopolitics, Sweden

Panel:

    • Marc Vanheukelen, former EU Ambassador Climate Diplomacy, former EU Ambassador to the WTO
    • Rashid S Kaukab, Executive Director CUTS International, Geneva  
    • Helena Hansson, Programme Director Mistra Food Future, Sweden  
    • Ieva Baršauskaitė, Senior Policy Advisor, International Institute for Sustainable Development, IISD

13:45 – 15:00 Parallel Policy Sessions 3 & 4 

Science & Policy Session 3: Innovation and industry  transition: towards a green industrial strategy 

Co-leads: Formas & SEI 

Moderator: John Tumpane, head of Environment division, Formas  

Rapporteur: Per Anderson, Head of Secretariat – Leadit, SEI, Sweden  

Speakers: 

    • Janez Potočnik, former Environment Commissioner and Co-chair for UN International Resource Panel 
    • Industry representative (TBC) 
    • EU policy specialist (TBC) 
    • Circular economy and industry transition expert (TBC) 

Science & Policy Session 4: European Green Deal 2024 and beyond: Vision and priorities for the EGD 2.0? 

Co-leads: IEEP & SIEPS 

Moderator: Martijn Pakker, Head of Strategic Relations IEEP  

Rapporteur: Ioli Christopoulou, Executive Director, The Green Tank 

Speakers: 

    • Luc Bas, Regional Vice-Chair IUCN CEESP (Commission for Environmental, Economic and Social Policy), Europe 
    • Camilla Bausch, Executive Director, ECOLOGIC Institute  
    • Mats Engström, Senior Adviser, SIEPS  
    • Anja Gassner, Senior Scientist Advisor World Agroforestry , Global Landscape Forum  
    • Lasse Miettinen, Director, Sustainability solutions, SITRA  
    • Eija Hietavuo, VP Corporate Affairs, Tetra Pak  

15:00 – 15:45 Closing panel: Priorities for presidencies of the EU Council to raise the ambition of     future post-2024 European Green Deal 

  • Antoine Oger, Head of Global Challenges and SDGs Team, IEEP, Belgium 
  • Per Anderson, Head of Secretariat – LeadIT, SEI, Sweden 
  • Ioli Christopoulou, Executive Director, The Green Tank 

Conversation leaders: Robert Watt, Engagement Director, SEI & Ng’endo Machua-Munio, Communications Officer, SEI 

15.45-16.00 Final remarks 

  • Måns Nilsson, Executive Director, SEI 
  • Eero Yrjö-Koskinen, Executive Director, IEEP 

The Think2030 Dialogue Sweden is an in-person event by invitation. The number of participants is limited.

Make your expression of interest now to get invitation for in-person participation (your expression of interest is not binding and does not imply a guaranteed invitation): 

Registration of interest

The opening high-level policy debate will be live-streamed and open to public attendance. Join us online on 20th of April from 9:00 to 10:45 (CEST).

Please register here to get the link: 

Eventbrite