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Think2030 Dialogue Sweden: Navigating crisis through sustainability

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.

20 April 2023
Sweden and Online
Logos Think2030 and Sweden2023.eu

Logos Think2030 and Sweden2023.eu. Graphic: SEI

Watch the recording of the opening remarks and policy panel

Photo: Karl Hendon / Getty Images

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.

Graphic: SEI

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.

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.  

Graphic: Think2030 Dialogue Sweden / Harry Woodrow, SEI

Draft agenda

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

  • Måns Nilsson, Executive Director,  SEI 
  • Anna Jöborn, Chief Executive Officer, Mistra, 
  • Johan Kuylenstierna, Director General, Formas 
  • Göran von Sydow, Director, 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 Policy panel: Can the EU become the world’s number one exporter of sustainability and resilience?  

  • Norbert Kurilla, Senior Green Transition Advisor to the President of Slovakia 
  • Janez Potočnik, Co-chair for UN International Resource Panel and former EU Commissioner for Environment
  • Claudia Hahn, Team Leader Environmental Strategy – DG Environment  

Moderated by: Robert Watt, Engagement Director, SEI 

11:15-12:30 Parallel Science & Policy Sessions 1 & 2 

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  
  • Rapporteur: Tomas Jungwirth Brezovsky, Head of the AMO Climate Team; AMO

Speakers: 

  • Mikel Gonzalez, 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, Vice President Public & Regulatory Affairs, Vattenfall 
  • Isabell Büschel – Spain Director – Transport & Environment (T&E)

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

Co-leads: Mistra & IISD  

  • Moderator: Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, Vice-President, Global Strategies and Managing Director, Europe IISD   
  • Rapporteur: Antoine Oger, Head of Global Challenges and SDGs Team, IEEP   

Keynote speaker:

  • Henrik Carlsen, Senior Research Fellow SEI and Co-Director Mistra Geopolitics, Sweden
  • Ieva Baršauskaitė, Senior Policy Advisor, IISD

Panel:

  • Marc Vanheukelen, former EU Ambassador Climate Diplomacy, former EU Ambassador to the WTO
  • Rashid S Kaukab, International Trade, Development and Environment Expert 
  • Helena Hansson, Professor of Agricultural and Food Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Science and Programme Director, Mistra Food Futures 

13:45-15:00 Parallel Sience & Policy Sessions 3 & 4 

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

Co-leads: Formas & SEI 

  • Moderator: John Tumpane, Head of Department for Environmental sciences, Formas  
  • Rapporteur: Felipe Sanchez, Research Associate, SEI

Keynote speaker:

  • Janez Potočnik, Co-chair for UN International Resource Panel and former EU Commissioner for Environment

Speakers: 

  • Elina Kamenitzer, Director, Operations Support and Climate, Operations Directorate, European Investment Bank
  • Sébastien Treyer, Executive Director, IDDRI
  • Doris Schröcker, Head of Unit, Industrial Research, Innovation and Investment Agendas, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation 
  • Ola Hansén, Director of Public Affairs, H2 Green Steel
  • Nina Ekelund, Executive Director Haga Initiative

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, Co-founder and Policy Director, The Green Tank 

Speakers: 

  • Luc Bas, Regional Vice-Chair IUCN CEESP (Commission for Environmental, Economic and Social Policy), 
  • Camilla Bausch, Scientific & 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  
  • Katie Carson, Director Corporate Affairs Food & Climate Policy of Tetra Pak Group

15:15-15:45 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, 
  • Felipe Sanchez, Research Associate, SEI
  • Ioli Christopoulou, Co-founder and Policy Director, The Green Tank 
  • Tomas Jungwirth Brezovsky, Head of the AMO Climate Team; AMO

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

15.45-16.00 Final remarks 

  • Mikel Gonzalez, Senior researcher, BC3 
  • Eero Yrjö-Koskinen, Executive Director, IEEP 
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