Cornerstones for a New Climate - UBI's contribution to new policies on economy and environment (Wiener Neustadt)
2019-10-17 10:00 - 18:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Bildungszentrum St. Bernhard, Domplatz 1, Wiener Neustadt, 2700, Austria
Event background
As part of our transnational project Basic Income – European Public Debate, which has been implemented across Europe since 2017, GEF is holding a two-fold event in Austria to explore different positions on universal basic income (UBI) across Europe.
About the event
As it is clear that our planet calls for a different, new climate, GEF will, with the support of Grüne Bildungswerkstatt and Bildungszentrum St. Bernhard, open the space for green actors and proponents of a UBI to discuss how such a policy instrument could contribute to new policies for economy, society and the environment.
Programme
10:00 Registration
10:30 Welcome and introduction to the GEF transnational project on UBI
11:30 Input on 3 themes of the day

UBI, social and economic inclusion

Kim Fredericq-Evangelista, policy advisor Ecolo (BE)

UBI, financing and alternative economic models

Helmo Pape, founder of Generation Grundeinkommen (AT)

UBI from a feminist perspective

Barb Jacobsen, coordinator of Basic Income UK and member of Universal Basic Income Europe (UBIE) network (UK)
Margit Appel, researcher on feminist economic policy and universal basic income (AT)
12:30 Discussion: Connecting the threads to green climate policies
13:00 Lunch break
14:00 Open Space
Deepening of the 3 themes highlighted in the morning and exploring of further questions on UBI
16:45 Harvesting and synthesis
18:00 Networking drinks and snacks
Speakers

Margit Appel – researcher on feminist economic policy/universal basic income in Austria.
Kim Fredericq-Evangelista – Policy advisor for the Belgium Green Party, Ecolo. His “Youth UBI” was added to the last election programme.
Barb Jacobsen – Universal Basic Income Europe (UBIE) Network, Co-ordinator of Basic Income UK.
Helmo Pape – Founder of Generation Grundeinkommen, Austria.

Practicalities
Language
The conference will be in German with English whispered interpreting.
Participation fee
Solidarity fee / voluntary donation for the organization and food. Participation in the evening event is free of charge.
Registration
To register for this event, please contact buero@gbw.at.
Registration deadline: 14 October

For more information in German, please visit our partner’s webpage here.
The internal conference will be followed by a public debate reflecting on the key insights of the day and discussing the (political) steps forward as of 19h. More information can be found here.

Global Trends, Local Challenges: The Green Answers (El Prat de Llobregat)
2019-10-05 - 2019-10-06 | Cèntric Espai Cultural, Plaça de Catalunya 39-41, El Prat de Llobregat, 08820, Spain
Event background
Despite increasing divisions and the rise of right-wing forces on the European and national scenes, many European cities are pursuing a progressive, positive and transnationally networked vision.
Cities are organising themselves increasingly in trans-local networks, such as Energy Cities, Fearless Cities, and Food Cities. As such, this type of governance is becoming all the more relevant at a transnational level in Europe. To this end, this upcoming GEF conference will look at global issues, how they translate into local challenges but also what the local Green answers to these challenges are.
About the event
In the framework of the transnational project Cities as Places of Hope, this event will examine global trends in their local contexts and how the emerging challenges are approached on a municipal level across Europe and what can be learned from each other. To this end, the conference will bring together local green councillors from Catalonia with their counterparts from Germany, France, the Netherlands and other countries to exchange ideas and best practices.
Programme
09.30-10.00 Registration
10.00-10.15 Welcome by Lluís Mijoler (Mayor of El Prat de Llobregat)

10.15-10.30 Presentation of the event by Sergi Alegre (Fundació Nous Horitzons)

10.30-11.00 Presentation of the project Fearless Cities by Merlijn De Rijcke (Oikos Foundation)
11-00-11.30 Migrations: past, present and future, Ricard Fernández (Coordinator Social Ares, Barcelona)

11.30-12.00 Coffee break

12.00-12.45 Digitalisation: opportunity or risk?, Florentius Kist (Local councillor, Rotterdam)

12,45-13.30 Climate change: are we in the proper track?, Anna Marti (Local councillor, El Prat de Llobregat)

13.30-14.00 The EU approach to globalization, Lluis Camprubi (responsible of ICV international committee)

14.00-15.00 Networking lunch with local food
Registration
The event will be held in Catalan with English interpretation. To find out more and participate in the event, send an email to Project Coordinator carlotta.weber@gef.eu.

Further details of this event are to be confirmed. Please check back later for more information.

Climate Emergency – Raising Ambition (London)
2019-09-14 10:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Bloomsbury Central Baptists Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8EP, United Kingdom
Event Background
With the consequences of climate change beinng increasingly perceptible through extreme weather events (both worldwide and in European countries), verifiable research is urgently needed to set targets and policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the amount necessary to secure a livable environment. At the same time, policies to reduce greenhouse emissions are often attacked for threatening existing jobs.
GEF’s transnational project “Strengthening Climate Targets, Creating Local Climate Jobs” sets out to explore what greenhouse emissions reductions would mean in practical terms for our job markets and economies, and whether jobs could be created in rural areas across Europe. Can both a safe and just economically sound life for all be achieved? To this end, our project undertook research on the potential to create more climate jobs in three EU countries with diverse historic and economic prerequisites: United Kingdom, Ireland and Hungary. In 2019 the project is expanding also to Poland.
About the Event:
This climate energy conference is a one-day event for those looking to act on the climate emergency. What can local authorities and communities do? What scale of change do we need to be looking at? What could the benefits be for jobs and local economies? How do we keep fossil fuels in the ground?
Speakers:

Andrew Simms, (Rapid Transition Alliance) – the Climate Emergency
Nadine Andrews, (Green House) – Climate psychology & cultural shifts
Paul Allen, (Centre for Alternative Technology) – Zero Carbon Britain
Jonathan Essex and Peter Sims, (Green House) – Climate Jobs
Sam Mason (PCS Union) – Need for a Just Transition
Fatima Ibrahim (IPPR Environmental Justice Commission) – Need for a Just Transition
Yves Marignac, (Association négaWatt) – Europe-wide transition
Simon Pickering (Councillor, Stroud District Council) – Reducing in-house emissions
Philip Webber (formerly of Kirklees Council) – Street by street retrofit
Ian Christie ​(University of Surrey) – Widening the coalition
Agamemnon Otero (Repowering London) – Renewable energy
Page Dykstra (Community Supported Agriculture Network UK) – Land/Food Transition
Robert Read (The A Team Foundation) – Land/Food Transition
John Webb (Herts WithOut Waste) – Materials/Waste Transition
Neil Pitcairn (United Kingdom Without Incineration Network) – Materials/Waste Transition
Stephen Joseph (Transport Policy Consultant) – Transport Transition

Programme:
10:00-10:30 – Registration & refreshment
10:30 – Welcome and introductions – Natalie Bennett Green European Foundation, Anne Chapman Green House
– The Climate Emergency – Andrew Simms
– Climate Psychology and cultural change – Nadine Andrews
– Questions and discussion
– Introduction to parallel sessions and workshops
11:45 – Tea/ coffee break
12:00 – Parallel sessions – Making a plan
– Green New Deal and Just Transition – Fatima Ibrahim and Sam Mason
– Climate Jobs – Jonathan Essex and Peter Sims
– Zero Carbon plans – Paul Allen (Centre for Alternative Technology) and Yves Marignac (negaWatt)
13:00 – Lunch and information/discussion tables on:
– Reuse and recycling – Herts WithOut Waste & UKWIN
– Sustainable and Active Transport – Stephen Joseph,
– Renewable energy – Repowering London
– Food and farming – Community Supported Agriculture Network & Team A Foundation
– Street by street retrofit – Philip Webber (formerly Kirklees council)
– Local councils – Simon Pickering, Stroud District Council
14:30 – Workshops – Making it happen
– Making an Action Plan – Simon Pickering, with Jonathan Essex and Peter Simms
– Identifying key enablers and blockers of a step change in emissions.
– Widening the Coalition – Ian Christie, Surrey Climate Commission
– Establishing partnerships, setting up a local climate commission and citizens assemblies.
15:30 – tea/coffee break
15:45 – Making change happen – Feed back from workshops and panel discussion chaired by Natalie Bennett
17:00 – Conference Ends
Practicalities:
Conference fee: £10
Please register for this event via the form found here.

Congress of Young Europeans 2019 (Marseille)
2019-09-04 18:00 - 2019-09-07 13:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Friche Belle de Mai, 41 Rue Jobin, Marseille, 13003, France
About the Event
During the three-day Congress, 75 selected participants from across Europe will have the opportunity to come together and take advantage of different panels and interactive workshops. Panel debates and workshops at the congress are going to evolve around the strategies and experiences with fighting for climate and democracy in Europe and beyond.
In addition to this, the Green European Foundation (GEF) will contribute to the congress with a pre-event online course, providing for a common knowledge base for all participants, as well as a platform for debates ahead of their trip to Marseille.
Programme
The final programme in full can be found here.
Practicalities
Venue: Friche Belle de Mai – 41 Rue Jobin, 13003 Marseille: Google Maps location.
Accomodation : Village Club du Soleil, 23 rue François Simon, 13003 Marseille: Google Maps location.
How to get there?
The Bus No. 6 ( https://www.marseille-airport.com//parkings-et-acces/acces/bus/marseille-centre ) will bring you from Marseille Airport to Marseille Saint Charles (Central Station). It leaves every 10 minutes and it takes you roughly 30 minutes to get to the Central Station. You can purchase tickets online, beforehand ( https://store.marseille.aeroport.fr/bus.html ), get them in ticket offices on the spot or even from the coach driver, if the ticket office happens to be closed.
From Saint Charles to our venue and your hotel, you can either walk ( ca. 20 mins) and you will pass by our venue on your way : https://goo.gl/maps/mPjuGqiKvVdiYJka6 OR you can take a bus (ca. 15 mins) https://goo.gl/maps/wkZxKnY2RkS7dUg86

This event is organised by the Green European Foundation in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Paris.

Climate for Future: Climate Summit (Austria)
2019-06-20 - 2019-06-22 | Seminar-Park-Hotel Hirschwang, Trautenberg-Straße 1, 2651, Austria
Event Background
The Alps and the Carpathians mountain ranges that cover half of Europe are a critical part of climate protection, as they serve as an early warning system for the negative effects of climate change on Europe. The issues that climate change brings to these areas demonstrate what the rest of Europe must prepare for.
About the Event
The summit will feature a range of keynote speeches, workshops and excursions, conducted by experts who will offer attendees opportunities to learn more about climate change and how it specifically affects the alpine environment.
Programme
Thursday 20th June
17:00 – Opening
18:00 – The climate and ecosystem crisis –

Matthias Schickhofer, author of “Schwarzbuch Alpen – Why we have to save our mountains”.
Christoph Matulla, climatologist, ZAMG Vienna. Comment Leonore Gewessler, Global 2000.
Comment by Regina Hrbek.

20:00 – Dinner
21:00 – Climate change at all levels! Fish bowl discussion, with experts and politicians on the local and European level alternatively taking the ‘hot seat’.
Werner Kogler (Head of the Austrian Greens), Tom Waitz (MEP, Austria), Hannah Pfalzgraf ( youngest Cantonal Counselor of Switzerland), Gisela Sengl (Member of the Landtag, Bayern/Germany), Ingrid Felipe (Deputy Governor, Tyrol/Austria), Eva Lichtenberger (former MEP, Austria), Ewa Dziedzic (Federal Counselor, Austria), Helga Krismer (Member of the Landtag, Lower Austria), Norbert Lantschner (Member of the Landtag, Upper Adige/Italy), Johann Döller (Mayor Reichenau/Austria), et al.
Friday 21st June
09:30 – Workshops
Workshop 1: Climate Change, Economy and Environment
With experts and international initiatives.
Workshop 2: Climate Change and Us – Politics and Society
Best practices and new ways of cooperation.
12:30 – Climate change is system change. Synthesis and political mission.
14:00 Lunch buffet and graduation.
Supporting program (optional) for those who want to celebrate the longest day of the year with vision:
Afternoon trip by cable car to the Rax
In the evening, bonfires and festivities at the Biohof Babiol, Edlach / Rax.
The full programme in German can be found here.
Practicalities
Language: the majority of the summit will be in German, with some activities accessible in English.
Transport:
Take the train to Payerbach / Bahnhof.
From there take the Höllentalbahn (museum train) to Hirschwang (departure 14:25, arrival 14:50).

Registration
Please register via the registration form found here (in German).

Green Economy Congress - Municipalism: Economic Patterns for the Green Europe (Belgrade)
2019-06-06 - 2019-06-09 | Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Event Background
The world is undergoing radical transformations which is changing the fundamental values on which the industrial era was founded. Multiple crises caused by growing inequality and environmental destruction need an urgent and sustainable answer.
The economic parameters that measure growth and success are changing and the biggest assets today are knowledge and experience. With the expertise of academics working on a green economy, we are producing new forces to create a more just and sustainable world.
The Green Economy Congress is an annual interactive conference, which gathers participants from the local region and across Europe. Since its inception, it has intended to break the business-as-usual path, not only in the economy but in the wider society. It aims to build synergies amonth actors developing positive initiatives and to work on narratives that have a greater impact on public debates.
The previous two editions of the Congress were held in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, with over 300 participants and speakers attending.
About the Event
The Green Economy Congress is a Green summit, organised by the Green European Foundation in cooperation with Networked and Group for Analysis and Policy-Making from Serbia.
2019 marks the third edition of the Congress, which will focus on the theme of “Municipalism: Economic Patterns for the Green Europe”.
This year’s Congress will address Green topics and ways to make the Green agenda and sustainable development an integral part of our future philosophy and actions. This comes with a goal of inspiring leadership among global citizens to enact change and innovative solutions to tackle key economic, social and environmental challenges. There will be particular emphasis on Green cities as leaders of Green change and local policies that stimulate holistic approaches.
The Congress is open to professionals, academics, NGOs and private sector representatives, as well as other interested individuals.
Programme
Day I – Serbian Chamber of Commerce (Terazije 23/ II floor)
11.00 – 12.00 Opening: Municipalism: Economic Patterns for the Green
Europe
– Žaklina Živković, GAJP/ Networked
– Liljana Popovska, North Macedonia Member of Parliament/ DOM Macedonia
12.00 – 12.10 Coffee break

12.10 – 13.15 Panel: Circular Economy Regional Perspectives: Challenges
and Opportunities supported by Balkan Green Energy News
– Ana Petrovska, North Macedonia Ministry of Environmental Protection and
Physical Planning, State Secretary
– Representative of Republic of Serbia Ministry of Environmental Protection (TBC)
– Representative of business sector from Serbia (TBC)
13.15 – 13.25 Coffee break
13.25 – 14.25 Panel: Green Finance Lab: Blockchain + Crowdfunding
– Vladica Jovanović, BRODOTO
– Ivan Bjelajac, MVP Workshop
14.25 – 15.25 Lunch
15.25 – 16.15 Lecture: Mapping ecosystems and their services: a challenge
in a fast changing world
Day II – Cultural Center GRAD (Brace Krsmanovic 4)
14.00 – 15.00 Workshop: Go Circular: Circular economy for municipal well –
being
– Milan Veselinov, CirEkon – Expert for Circular Economy
15.00 – 15.10 Coffee Break
15.10 – 16.10 Panel: Business Going Green: The Emergence of the
Cooperative Society supported by EcoTech HUB Serbia
– Tanja Basta, EcoTech HUB
– Nemanja Inno Energy HUB and Climate – KIC Serbia
– Nenad Božić, SmartCat
– Dušan Vukanović, ICT Hub
16.10 – 16.20 Coffee Break
16.20 – 18.20 Workshops
 “Sustainable Fashion Roundtable – new policy & business model” Dunja
Jovanović and Marija Radaković
 “Zero waste in Action: Reduce your environmental footprint” MIlja Vuković
18.20 – 20.00 Networking Party & Dinner
Day III
10:00 – 12:00 Visit to Nikola Tesla Museum
Practicalities
Participants can apply to take part via the Green Economy Congress website, where more information on packages and prices can be found.
You can join the Facebook event page for the Congress here.

Heinrich Böll Foundation - After Europe goes to the polls: Where is the European Union headed? (Berlin)
2019-06-03 10:30 - 2019-06-04 16:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Heinrich Böll Foundation, Schumannstraße, 8, Berlin, 10117, Germany
Event Background
The European election will be a litmus test for the European democratic project and further reveal and demonstrate what has been a trend in many European countries in recent years – the increasing success of right-wing populist and extremist forces. In regions where they are gaining more and more ground, they have already managed to influence the political discourse to a large degree and thus changed the direction and
impetus of the European election campaigns.
About the Event
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is therefore committed to bringing its European partners and European actors fighting against right-wing populism in Europe together to provide a platform for networking and the exchange of ideas, best practices and lessons learned.
At the conference “After Europe goes to the polls: Where is the European Union headed?”, the election results will be analysed, to examine the causes of voting behaviour in the individual EU member states, and discuss with European experts how the new majorities will impact the European Parliament’s ability to act, the interaction between the EU institutions, and the orientation of future EU policy.
The networking event – as part of the Conference – aims to connect and support progressive forces that promote liberal democracy within the EU.
Held with the cooperation of the Green European Foundation.
Programme
Monday, June 3rd, 2019
10.45: Registration
11.00: Welcome
13.00: Lunch
14.00: Welcome address and introduction
Dr. Ellen Ueberschär, President, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin
Keynote
What challenges await the European Union after the European elections?
Ivan Krastev, Chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies and Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences, Sofia/Vienna
Discussion with:
Anne Gellinek*, Chief of the ZDF Television Office Brussels, Second German Television,
Brussels
15.00: Break
15.30: Panel – Analysis of the election results
· Motives and background: What are the key election results?
· What kind of EU have the voters elected?
· What were the motives behind electing parties sceptical about the EU and
integration?
· Do the election results vary by certain regions or groups of countries?
· What impact will the election results have on the EU policy of individual member
states?
Piotr Buras, Head of the Warsaw Office, European Council on Foreign Relations, Warsaw
Prof. Dr. Sylvie Strudel, Professor of Political Science, Université de Paris 2, Paris
Prof. Dr. Uwe Jun, Professor of Political Science, Trier University, Trier
Prof. Dr. Lina Papadopoulou, Associate Professor of Constitutional Law, Aristotle University Thessaloniki
17.00: Break
17.30: Panel – Where is the EU headed after Europe goes to the polls?
· What effect will the new majorities have on the European Parliament’s ability to act?
· New parliamentary groups – new alliances: How must the progressive forces now
position themselves?
· How much support does the European Union still have? How can it build further
trust? And how can it find a capacity to act?
· What consequences will the election results have for future EU policy?
· What common projects will now take priority?
Reinhard Bütikofer, MEP, Chair of the European Green Party, Brussels
Dr. Rui Tavares*, Politician and former MEP, The Greens/EFA, Young Policy Leader Fellow at European University Institute, Florence
Edit Zgut*, Analyst, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw/Budapest
Prof. Dr. Teresa Pullano, Assistant Professor of European Global Studies, University of
Basel
19.00: End
19.30: Dinner
*Speakers listed above have been invited, but have not necessarily confirmed their participation.
Tuesday, June 4th, 2019
09.30: Registration
10.00: Welcome address and introduction
Keynote
Civil society and the future of Europe

Dr. Sergey Lagodinsky, Candidate for the European Parliament, The Greens/EFA and
Head of the European Union/North America Department, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin
Flavia Kleiner, Co-President, Operation Libero, Bern

10.30: Exchange
How European elections have affected and affect the political landscape for civil
society and civil action

Inputs from partner organizations from different countries

Discussion
12.30: Lunch
13.30: Exchange
Capacity to act for civil society in times of shrinking spaces

Inputs from partner organizations from different countries

Discussion
15.00: Break
15.30: What comes next?
Feedback
16.00: End
Practicalities
Entry is free, but registration is required. Please register with the form found on the Heinrich Böll Foundation website here.
Transport connection
Bus 147 Deutsches Theater
S-Bahn S1, 2, 25, 5, 7, 75, 9 Friedrichstraße
U-Bahn U6, Oranienburger Tor
Tram M1, M6, 12 Oranienburger Tor
from central station (DB), Bus 147 > Ostbahnhof bis Deutsches Theater
Conference languages
The international conference will be translated simultaneously German/English.
The network meeting will take place in English only.

Climate Conference (Istanbul)
2019-05-04 - 2019-05-05 | Cezayir, Kuloğlu Mh., Hayriye Cd. No:12,, Beyoğlu/İstanbul, 34425, Turkey
Event Background
Turkey has been seeing the tangible effects of climate change over the last few years, with impacts on food security, the economy, and other broader social ramifications.
Yet there is no solution-oriented action due to resistance by policy-makers and a lack of public awareness. There is particularly a lack of clarity in the debate regarding the link between urban and local ecological deterioration and climate change, and the effects of climate change on the local level. There is also an absence of understanding on how political decisions and action at an international level relate to the local level.
About the Event
Held in coordination with our partner Yesil Dusunce Dernegi, this national conference will offer a different perspective on climate change, connecting society, movements, communication and green politics. It aims to build capacities and raise awareness of the effects of climate change, local actions and green policy alternatives in the field.
It will bring together the agenda for the climate and ecology movements on both European and local levels, and provide networking opportunities.
In particular, the conference will focus on:

Opportunities to identify and compare relationships between mitigation and adaptation policies at national and local levels, and the obligations and potential they offer.
Develop awareness and comprehension of European policy proposals regarding climate change and encourage political debate that includes the Turkism perspective on the issue.
Establish solidarity networks between local movements directly affected by environmental disasters and those affected by ill-conceived fossil-fuel projects.

Programme
The working language of the conference will be Turkish.
10.00-10: 45 | Climate Policies
Moderator: Barış Gençer Baykan / Yeditepe University – Green Thought Association
Omer Madra / Açık Radyo
Kelsey DePorte / FYEG (European Young Greens) Climate Campaigner
10: 45-11.00 | Break
11: 00-11: 45 | Climate Law
Moderator: Serkan Köybaşı / Bahcesehir University – Green Thought Association
Gökşen Şahin / People’s Climate Case
Serde Atalay / Ecology Collective Association
11: 45-12.00 | Break
12: 00-13: 00 | Activism / Communication/ Campaigning
Teo Commet / FYEG Secretary General
XR (Extenction Rebellion) International
13: 00-14: 00 | Lunch
14: 00-16: 00 | Forum
XR Turkey (Extinction Rebellion / Rebellion Extinction)
FFF Turkey (Fridays For Future Turkey)
PFF Turkey (Parents For Future)
Local Movements
Climate Activists
Parallel Sessions:
10.00-13.00 | Informatics Education-kidsistanbul
This event will last for 3 hours and is suitable for children between the ages of 10-15.
Registration
This conference is free and open to all. However, registration is required.
Please register via this form that can be found here.

Good Health & Wellbeing (Budapest)
2019-03-12 17:30 - 21:00 (Europe/Brussels) | MagNet Community Center, Andrássy út 98, Budapest, 1062, Hungary
Event Background
As part of the GEF transnational project Sustainable Development Goals, this event held with GEF partner Ökopolisz Alapitvany will look specifically at Goal 3: ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of all ages, which is essential for sustainable development.
About the Event
This conference will focus on the Hungarian perspective of Goal 3 and how it can be achieved in the country.
Programme

17:30 – 17:50 Sándor Fülöp PhD: The UN’s 2030 Sustainability Objectives (SDG) system and Target 3 in the system
17 :50 – 18:10 Péter Balázs: Problems of public financing of health care and the possibility of solution
18:10 – 18:30 Gábor Kapócs: institutional system of health care, social security; health training, labor situation
18:30 – 18:50 Debate and Q&A
18:50 – 19:10 COFFEE BREAK
19:10 – 19:30 János Sándor: Impact of poverty, low socio-economic status on health in Hungary
19:30 – 19:50 Zoltán Brys: Alcohol and smoking in the context of sustainable development
19:50 – 20:10 Tamás Szigeti: Reducing the burden of environmental disease in the light of SDGs
20:10 – 20:30 Debate and Q&A
20:30 – 20:50 Szilvia Lengyel: Reflections – Possible elements of a green party health program

Registration
Entrance is free, but registration is required.
Please register via the website here.

You can join the Facebook event page for this event here.

Citizen's Energy: Making Energy Democracy Happen (Brussels)
2019-01-25 17:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Brussels) | IHECS, Brussels School for Journalism and Communication, Rue du Poinçon 15, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
Context
This conference is part of the Green European Foundation Energy Democracy transnational project, which aims to explore the potential of an energy transition for Europe and how to shape this process in a democratic, participatory way.
Europe has to change its energy system into a fully renewable one to transition to a sustainable economy and to establish a real climate policy. This is a major challenge for every Member State of the European Union, but will only succeed if the states work together.
European citizens are already playing an active role, together with governments at different levels, as they are organising themselves in national energy cooperatives and also the European Federation REScoop.
Studies show that by 2050, around 45% of all EU households could be producing their own renewable energy, more than a third could come through renewable energy cooperatives. This constitutes a huge opportunity for regional economic development, as locally-owned renewable energy projects deliver eight times the value of projects that are owned by private companies not from the area. However, the reality in the different Member States is extremely diverse. While the contribution of citizens’ Energy co-ops and local communities is well recognized in Western Europe, the situation in Eastern Europe is quite the opposite.
See also the publication that was produced for this project: Community Energy in UK.
About the event
Our energy system is outdated in many ways: fossil fuel based and thus unsustainable, technocratic, and dominated by a few big market players. But over the last few decades, citizens have been developing an alternative system that is renewable, decentralised and democratic.
The development of renewable energy cooperatives demonstrates what citizens are capable of, especially when they are supported by a partner state, one that develops a stimulating legal framework and offers smart incentives.
How can we strengthen this transition to an energy system of the future? This conference will bring together contributors from GEF partners, energy cooperatives and energy sectors to discuss renewable energy potential on both a European and local level.
Speakers

Dirk Holemans, coordinator Oikos Think Tank
Dirk Vansintjan, President REScoop.eu
Elise Steyaert, from local climate cooperation Klimaan and VEB (Vlaams Energie Bedrijf)
Claire Roumet, Director Energy Cities
Johan Daenen, Member of Flemish Parliament
Bob d’Haeseller, Green Party in Eeklo (BE)
Anne Chapman, Director Green House Think Tank (UK)
Aurélie Maréchal, Director Green European Foundation

Programme
17:00 – Welcome by Aurélie Maréchal, Director of Green European Foundation
17:10 – Stage setting by Dirk Holemans, coordinator at Oikos think tank
17:30 – Local and citizen iniatatives with Elise Steyaert (Klimaan), Dirk Vansintjan (REScoop), Bob d’Haeseleer (Groen Eeklo)
18:30 – Q&A
19:00 – Coffee break and snacks
19:30 – Role of governments with Claire Roumet (Energy Cities), Johan Daenen (Member of Flemish Parliament), Anne Chapman (Green House Think Tank)
20:30 – Q&A
Tickets for the event can be purchased from the Oikos website here.

Towards a New Climate (Katowice)
2018-12-11 - 2018-12-12 | Galeria Szyb Wilson, ul. Oswobodzenia 1, Katowice, 40 - 403
Context
COP24 in Katowice will be decisive as one of its tasks is to work out and adopt decisions to ensure the implementation of the Paris Agreement. At the same time, the Polish government has stated its objective to use the opportunity of the 2018 Climate Summit Poland to demonstrate how neutrality in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, i.e. a balance between CO2 emissions and its sequestration by soils and forests, can be attained. This sends a fatal message to the broader public as it creates the impression that ever-growing CO2 emissions around the world could be absorbed naturally, which impedes debate and progress towards a zero carbon future. In this context, a clear response to the Polish government’s stance on climate change and mitigation is needed.
About the event
In early 2018, we kicked off our transnational project “Towards COP24 in Poland” to raise awareness about climate issues among the Polish population and EU citizens in general in the run up to the Climate Summit in Katowice. The project highlight will be a one-day event in the second week of COP24 in Katowice organised with the support of all project partners to challenge the current policies by EU member states, share best practices and present sustainable, fair and just approaches that respect the ecological boundaries of our planet while having a good life for all people in mind.
Topics:
1. Just transition of mining regions – organised with the support of Heinrich Böll Foundation in Warsaw and Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, Poland
2. Potential green jobs as a result of climate oriented transition – organised with the support of Green House Think Tank, UK
3. “Zero net emissions” – are carbon removals effective enough – organised with the support of Green Economics Institute, UK
4. Why nuclear energy is a false solution for a climate oriented energy transition – organised with the support of Fondation de l’Écologie Politique
Programme
09:30 – 10:00: Opening of the conference:

Lucile Schmid, Green European Foundation
Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart, Director, Fundacja Strefa Zieleni
Małgorzata Tracz, Co-Chair, Polish Green Party

10:00 – 10:30: Introduction

Bas Eickhout, Member of the European Parliament, The Greens / EFA
Video by GGEP on coal transition

10:30 – 12:00: Just Transition of Mining Regions
Not only in Poland, but also in various parts of some European countries, coal and lignite mining are an important part of local identity, culture and economy.
However, for economic and ecological reasons, in the coming decade(s) coal regions and communities must shift away from a coal-based economy. In this process, they need to deeply restructure their economy and find new future perspectives for their citizens.
What are the economic and social challenges in the ecological modernisation of these regions? Could the possible decarbonisation strategies be useful in different coal regions?
How to include different actors in creating a common vision of the future while building concrete development strategies? How to address a changing job market and a need to build a competitive economy while empowering people to pursue change? To what extent could renewable energy become an answer to these questions?
Panellists:

Annalena Baerbock, Chairwoman of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany
Marcin Bazylak, Mayor of Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland (tbc)
Miłka Stępień, Member of National Council, Polish Green Party, Konin, Poland
Andrzej Błachowicz, Managing Director, Climate Strategies, London
Monika Paca, Galeria Szyb Wilson, Katowice, Poland
Jan Bondaruk, Deputy Director for Environmental Engineering, Central Mining Institute, Katowice

Moderation:

Patryk Białas, Director of Innovation and Competence Centre in EURO-CENTRUM Science and Technology Park and President of BoMiasto Association, local councillor in Katowice

12:00 – 13:30: Potential Green Jobs as a Result of Green Transition
(in conjunction with the project partners of GEF’s transnational project Strengthening Climate Targets, Creating Local Climate Jobs)
Meeting the challenge of climate change requires structural changes to the economy so that it is no longer dependent on fossil fuels. Different consumption and production patterns will lead to a loss of traditional jobs, but a large number of new jobs will also have to be created to accomodate the changed needs of our societies.
This panel will discuss the research done by GEF throughout the past years that has led to a model to estimate the number of jobs that would be created in key sectors of the economy.
During the event, the research report will be launched that summarises estimates for three EU member states – UK, Ireland and Hungary – and shows that increasing ambition on climate targets and transitioning the economy towards zero-carbon would result in a net increase in jobs all over the country, helping to rebalance the economy.
The debate will take into account the implications the research will have on a policy level, including input from Professor Jan Popczyk from the Silesian University of Technology, who will present results of his own metrics applied to Poland. It will also complement theory with real achievements in Germany and Spain.
Panellists:

Peter Sims, Green House Think Tank, UK
Anja Siegesmund, Minister of Environment, Energy and Nature Protection of Thuringia, Gemany
Florent Marcellesi, MEP, The Greens/EFA in the EP
Professor Jan Popczyk, Silesian University of Technology, Poland

Commentary:

Thomas Simpson, Green Foundation, Ireland

Moderation:

Johnathan Essex, Green House Think Tank, UK

13:30 – 14:30: Lunch Break
14:30 – 16:00: Zero Net Emissions – Are Carbon Removals Effective Enough?
Technological solutions (like carbon capture and storage – CCS) and environmental solutions, in particular in land use, agriculture and climate-friendly forest management, are important steps towards achieving carbon neutrality.
This debate will focus on political will, scientific evidence and results of experimenting with various solutions based on carbon sinks, as well as scientific vailidity of methods used for assessing the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere.
At the same time, this panel will point to structural changes our societies will have to undergo to achieve the Paris Agreement’s objective of limiting a temperature rise to 2°C or even 1.5°C: phase out of fossil fuels, change the logic inherent to our agricultural and food system, etc.
Panellists:

Olivier De Schutter, Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food (video)
Michal Wilczynski, Poland’s former National Chief Geologist, energy expert
Miriam Kennet, Green Economics Institute, UK
Claire Weill, INRA, “4 for 1000’ initiative, FR
Krzysztof Cibor, Greenpeace Poland
Nada Zaarour, Green Party of Lebanon

Moderation:

Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart, Fundacja Strefa Zieleni

16:00 – 17:30: Why Nuclear Energy is a False Solution for a Climate-Oriented Energy Transition
Poland is in the process of deciding whether to build its first nuclear power station. The public is divided, but the studies of locations, technologies, partners and investors nevertheless continue.
During this panel, it will be discussed whether nuclear energy is really the answer to the decarbonisation challenge and explore more sustainable solutions. This discussion is our contribution to the debate on nuclear energy happening in Poland today.
Panellists:

Yannick Jadot or Michele Rivasi, MEPs, Greens/EFA group in the EP
Yves Marignac, Director of Wise-Paris think tank
Marie Toussaint, Notre Affaire à Tous association, EELV
Charline Dufournet, Director of the European Scenario for the NégaWatt Initiative

Moderation:

Benoit Monange, Fondation de l’Ecologie Politique, France

17:30 – 18:00 Closing
Final remarks by Natalie Bennett (Board Member Green European Foundation and Green Party of England and Wales) and Evelyne Huytebroeck (European Green Party)
18:00 – 19:00 Buffet
19:00 Film Screening:
“Human Energy” Adam Dzienis (2018, 67 min.)
Debate after the movie with Adam Dzienis, Weronika Bloch and Anna Krenz, moderated by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart

Simultaneous interpretation in Polish and English will be provided.
A shuttle will be provided from in front of COP (Rozdzienskiego street) to the venue, through the central station.
Departures from COP: 9:50, 11:20, 14:00, 15:30, 16:50, 18:20.

To register for the conference, please follow this link.
Join the Facebook event.
Stay tuned for more updates on the programme and speakers on this event page, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

Ecopolis 2018: Just Transition (Brussels)
2018-11-25 - 2018-11-26 | Kaaitheatre, Square Sainctelette 20, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
Context
Is it possible to bring about fundamental changes to our societies while still respecting the boundaries of our planet and offering opportunities to develop for everyone? Is it possible to realise a Just Transition – across diverse sectors of society such as food, work, transport, energy etc. – in a increasingly polarised and inequitable world?
Facing this challenge will require far reaching changes of an unseen scale and speed while at the same time not leaving a part of the population behind.
How can social justice be strengthened and ecological sustainability be fostered at the same time? For a just transition, this seeming contradiction has to be resolved and cooperation in a superdiverse society must be realised, so everyone can have equal access to a valuable job, payable and sustainable housing, food and energy.
About the event
Ecopolis is an annual day gathering people who are concerned with the transition to a socio-ecological society. Because ecological challenges cross national and language boundaries, Ecopolis is diverse, international and interactive, with the Green European Foundation contributing to a strong European dimension of the event.
The event invites national and international authors to debate the transition of our societies. Academics, writers and civil society thinkers meet to enter into a constructive and open dialogue. Besides lectures, debates and interviews, there is an extensive book-fair with multilingual, ecological books and an internationally acclaimed documentary on the environment will be screened.
Speakers will include:
Kate Raworth, Economist and author of “Doughnut Economics – 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist”
Rachida Lamrabet, Novellist and author of “Vrouwland”, “Een kind van God” and others
Jeroen Theunissen, Writer and teacher at RITCS Brussels, author of “De omwegen” “Onschuld” and others
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
Alberto Alemanno, Professor of EU Law at HEC Paris and Global Professor of Law at the New York University School of Law, Co-Founder and Director of The Good Lobby
Laurien Spruyt, Policy Officer ‘Mobility and Climate’ at Bond Beter Leefmilieu, Co-Creator of UGent1010 and former Campaign Coordinator of Climate Express
Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Climatologist and Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Catholic University of Louvain
Yasmien Naciri, Marekting & Communication Entrepreneur, Columnist and author, Chairwoman of Amana n-pa and Fleks

Programme
11:00: The uncomfortable consumer: on a diet in the candy store
It’s a challenge, trying to live an environmentally conscious life, while society constantly tempts you to cheap city trips or cheap clothing. While each of us is muddling along, the temptation is systemic. Transition will only succeed if we tackle it structurally and if politicians dare to stick their necks out (government role, ‘moralising technology’).
Theatrical performers Anoek Nuyens and Rebekka de Wit present us their Monologue For A Consumer. Followed by a panel with, among others, Laurien Spruyt, policy officer Bond Beter Leefmilieu, and Jeroen Theunissen, author of Jouw Huid (‘Your Skin’).
12:15: Relay talks: citizens in action, from May ’68 ’til today
With which actions can citizens contribute to speeding up the transition? By lobbying as much as possible with the European institutions, and/or organising protest actions and blocking lignite plants? How does today’s action differ from a few decades ago?
With Yasmien Naciri, a young entrepreneur and author of Wij nemen het heft in handen, Samuel Cogolati, researcher at KULeuven and activist in the domain of the commons, Lenny Peeters, laureate of the Bronzen Uil prize for best debut novel in Dutch, and Paul Goossens, journalist for De Standaard.
13:30: The connection between identity debate, inequality and the ecological issue
From the perspective of social ecology, the ecological crisis, which is the result of the idea that man has to dominate nature, is connected with the domination of one person over the other.
A debate with among others Rachida Lamrabet, author of Zwijg allochtoon, Leo Lucassen, migration expert and professor at Leiden University, and Aziza El Miamouni from Wijkacademie Molenbeek.
15:00: Just Transition – The proof is in the eating
‘To change everything it takes everyone’, a just transition is about both decent jobs, climate policy as well as a just society. An interesting dialogue between trade union, industry and research community. With the economist Kate Raworth, author of The Doughnut Economy, Sharan Burrow, Secretary-General of the International Trade Union Confederation, and Thomas Leysen, Chairman of Umicore & KBC. Moderated by Karel Verhoeven (chief editor at De Standaard)
16:00: Grand Tour 2020
Pieter Van Bogaert talks with Guy Gypens, director of Kaaitheater, about his book Grand Tour 2020 – the report of a trip through ten European cities where he talked to ten artists about their ecological commitment (as an artist and as a citizen). The book is the final document of ten years of ‘Imagine 2020’, a European collaboration on art and ecology founded by Kaaitheater in 2008.
16:30: Does the climate summit of Poland tackle the challenges?
Two weeks after ECOPOLIS, the COP24 climate summit will take place in Poland, the country that still largely runs on coal(mines). What can we expect from this COP? What does ‘Just Transition’ mean for workers in polluting industries? Can we offer them green jobs?
With, among others, climate expert and IPCC member Jean-Pascal van Ypersele and Catalina Caro (CENSAT, Friends of the Earth Colombia). Moderated by Tine Hens.

The event will be simultaneously interpreted in English, French and Dutch.
Book your tickets for the event here
For more info & updates on the programme, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
You can find here the Facebook profile of the event and here the website for the event.

Shaping the Energy Sector in Europe (Athens)
2018-11-02 10:30 - 18:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Aition Polychoros, Aition Polychoros 8-10, Athens, 11742, Greece
CONTEXT
This conference is part of the Green European Foundation Energy Democracy transnational project, which aims to explore the potential of an energy transition for Europe and how to shape this process in a democratic, participatory way.
Europe has to change its energy system into a fully renewable one to transition to a sustainable economy and to establish a real climate policy. This is a major challenge for every Member State of the European Union, but will only succeed if the states work to together.
European citizens are already playing an active role, together with governments at different levels, as they are organising themselves in national energy cooperatives and also the European Federation REScoop.
Studies show that by 2050, around 45% of all EU households could be producing their own renewable energy, and more than a third could come through renewable energy cooperatives. This constitutes a huge opportunity for regional economic development, as locally-owned renewable energy projects deliver eight times the value of projects that are owned by private companies not from the area.
The reality in the different Member States is however extremely diverse. While the contribution of citizens’ Energy co-ops and local communities is well recognized in Western Europe, the situation in Eastern Europe is quite the opposite.
PROGRAMME
10:30 – 11:00: Arrival of attendees

11:00 – 11:05: Opening statement from the panel
11:05 – 12:00: Welcome and opening addresses:

Kostas Diakos, Green Institute President
Socratis Famellos, Vice-Minister Energy and Environment
Mimis Dimitriadis, MP SYRIZA, Chair of Parliamentarian Committee on Economy and Development
Manolis Vemis, Coordinator of the Executive Secretariat – Greek Green Party (Οικολογοι Πρασινοι)
Political parties representatives (tbc)

12:00 – 14:00: First round of speakers:
Legislative Framework of Energy Co-ops:

Michalis Verroiopoulos, Secretary of Energy Ministry of Environment and Energy

Change of Energy Production and Consumption Model as a Prerequisite for a Sustainable and Democratic Future:

Giorgos Dimaras, Deputy Minister Energy and Environment, MP SYRIZA Greek Green Party

Application of Energy Co-ops in Sustainable Agriculture:

Giannis Tsironis, former Alternate Minister of Agriculture, MP SYRIZA Greek Green Party

Lessons from Community Energy in the UK:

Anne Chapman, Director of Green House UK Think Tank, Director of Morecambe Bay Community Renewables

There will also be opportunities for Q&As from the audience.
14:00 – 14:40: Buffet Lunch
14:30 – 17:00: Second round of speakers:
The Transformation to Energy Democracy:

Merlijn De Rijcke, OIKOS Think Tank Belgium

Presentation of the Energy Cooperative Project of Sifnos Island:

Giannis Ghillis, engineer

Presentation of the Energy Cooperative Project of Tilos Island:

Giannis Kaldelis, engineer

Applying Energy Efficiency Principles – Possibilities for the Greek City:

Nikos Samaras, architect MSC, lecturer at the Thessaly Technological Institute

Recycling and Energy Democracy:

Christina Efthimiatou, chemical engineer, board member of the Hellenic Recycle Agency EOAN, co-spokesperson of the Greek Green Party (Οικολόγοι Πράσινοι)

There will also be opportunities for Q&As from the audience.
17:30 – 18:00: Closing statements from international guests & panellists

This event is open to all who would like to attend. For more information, please contact the organiser Dimitris on dimitrispashalis@yahoo.com
For updates on this event and other upcoming ones of this GEF transnational project, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Green Economy Congress 2018 (Belgrade)
2018-11-01 - 2018-11-04 | Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, Kneza Miloša Street no. 12/VI, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
Context
The world we live in is going through a radical transformation which is changing the fundamental values our societies but also economies are based on. Multiple crises due to the growing inequality and environmental destruction are calling for an urgent sustainable answer. As the economic parameters that are measuring growth and economic success are changing, we must use our knowledge and expertise to innovate the way we think about economy and cannot continue with “business as usual”.
About the event
The Green Economy Congress, taking place for the second time this year, is a series of interactive, multidimensional events designed to create and further build up on the notion of necessity for transition to sustainable and fair economy. Green economy is one of the most exciting concepts that is holistic in its form – it generates development while respecting the regional and global ecosystem, results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
For three days all participants will have the opportunity to listen to some of the most impressive economists, innovators, entrepreneurs and decision makers, to share their stories and discover ways to promote an alternative vision for growth and development across the world.
The long-term goal of the Congress is not only to raise awareness on green topics, but to also create a sustainable networking platform to enable green initiatives across Europe. This will be in particular the focus of the first day of the Congress, which will be organised by GEF.
Programme
Thursday November 1st
12:00 – 12:15: Official Opening

Representative of Green European Foundation
Žaklina Živković, GAJP

12:15 – 13:15: Opening Panel – Public Policies and Circular Economy

Slobodan Perović, Republic of Serbia Ministry of Environment Advisor
Antoine Avignon, EU delegation in Serbia (tbc)
Olivera Kuzman, Zurovac OEBS expert on circular economy (tbc)
Siniša Mitrović, Serbian Chamber of Commerce (tbc)

13:15 – 13:25: Pause
13:25 – 14:00: Lecture – Innovation in Circular Economy: Closing the Loop in Agri-Business

Grigoris Chazikostas, Biosense Institute

14:00 – 15:00: Lunch
15:00 – 16:00: Panel – Green Cities and Urban Development

Representative of EU Green Capital of Europe Nijmegen (tbc)
Representative of Cooperation and Development Eastern Europe (CDN)
Sinisa Trkulja, UN Urban Agenda Habitat III
Representative of City Council of Belgrade (tbc)

16:00 – 16:15: Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:15: Panel – New Plastic Economy: EU Circular Economy Package

Representative of Reloop Europe
Representative of Greentech Serbia
Representative of SEPEN
Expert in EU Circular Economy Package (tbc)

17:15 – 18:00: Coffee and Networking

Friday November 2nd
12:00 – 12:15: Opening

Dubravka Negre, European Investment Bank

12:15 – 13:00: Toward the Green Finance

Representative of Trag Foundation (tbc)
Representative of Ethical Financing Cooperative of Croatia
Representative of BRODOTO
Representative of ERSTE bank

13:00 – 13:15: Coffee Break
13:10 – 14:10: Panel – Women in the Green Economy

Branislava Jovicic Bačkan, Green Energy News
Ankica Barbulov, GIZ (tbc)

14:00 – 15:00: Lunch
15:00 – 16:00: Environmental Reporting: Media as a Catalyst for Change

Representative of Euractiv (tbc)
Slavica Gligorijevic, RTS (tbc)
Adam Santovac, N1 (tbc)
Represenative of CINS/BIRN (tbc)

16:00 – 16:15: Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:00: Democratisation of the Energy Sector: Prosumers and Cooperatives as Alternatives

Maja Turković, ASOR
Representative of CAN Europe (tbc)

Saturday November 3rd
12:00 – 15:00: Green Economy Fair + Workshops
Workshops including:

Developing Circular Economy in Agriculture
Decentralised Energy Alternatives
Eco Design

Additionally, the Congress will entail a variety of social activities such as museum visits, get-togethers and more.
Who should apply?
This conference is suitable for both students who are just developing their interests for green economy models, and green economy professionals and activists. In case you would like to speak at our event, we have created Participants’ Panel.

To find out more about the event, the registration process, as well as participation fees, please visit the Congress website. For programme updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the Facebook profile of the Congress.

Change of Climate in the World of Jobs? (Budapest)
2018-10-16 17:00 - 19:30 (Europe/Brussels) | MagNet Ház, Andrássy út 98, Budapest, 1062, Hungary
Context
With a changing climate, many traditional jobs will be lost all over Europe, as a just transition to less carbon emission intensive industries and a green economy is inevitable. Innovative policy proposals will be necessary to create new jobs that do not threaten the emission reduction targets as they have been agreed in the Paris Climate Agreement from 2015.
About the event
As part of the transnational project “Strengthening Climate Targets, Creating Local Climate Jobs”, this conference will feature a first presentation of the local job creation potential in Hungary in a zero carbon society that has been estimated as part of this year’s project research. Together with the data gathered on the United Kingdom and Ireland, this estimation will be a first step towards quantifying and publicising the EU-wide potential of greening local economies to create new climate jobs, and better address climate change, in the run-up to COP24.
Programme
17:00 – 17:20 PRESENTATION OF THE GEF TRANSNATIONAL PROJECT AND RESEARCH RESULTS – Jonathan Essex, Green House Think Tank United Kingdom
17:20 – 17:40 4th INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: REDUCE OR INCREASE EMISSIONS? – Miklós Kis, Journalist
17:40 – 18:00 CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE – Sándor Fülöp Phd, Co-chair of Ökopolisz
18:00 – 18:15 COFFEE BREAK
18:15 – 19:30 Q & A, DISCUSSION
Registration
To register for the event, please click here.

Stay tuned for updates on the programme here and via our Twitter and Facebook channels.

Cooperative Society (Skopje)
2018-10-06 09:30 - 15:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Hotel Porta Skopje, Vladimir Komarov bb, Skopje, 1000, Macedonia
Context
At the beginning of 2018, a publication, The Revision of the Economy in the Balkans: Change Policy, Not Climate, as well as a green economy manual, was published as part of the transnational project carried out by Green European Foundation supported by Blue Link Bulgaria, Sunrise Macedonia and Networked Serbia.
The research done in the previous years has shown immense potential and pointed out the fact that these national economies are currently going in a different direction: subsidising multinational companies and mega infrastructure projects in privatizing natural resources.
A process of political centralisation, by taking competences from the local level and exclusion of the citizens from the economic and social decisions is evident. In this political environment, the only possible solution is a creation of bottom-up, self-organized, citizens’ initiatives with a purpose of association of labor and services. The countries of the region have their own historical legacy of a cooperative economy in socialism, which is now in a process of renewal.
About the event
The Green European Foundation, with the support of ASSED Sunrise, is organising this international conference “Greening the Economy: Cooperative Society”.
The conference will explore the policies relating to the development of the green economy in the region and discuss topics including green procurement, renewable energy and green jobs.
It will also serve as a platform for an exchange of knowledge and a chance to promote green policies in the region, with the aim to raise awareness among stakeholders, politicians, and the general public for the economic potential of a Green Economy.
As part of the event, there will be a promotion of the 2017 Green European Foundation study “Revision of the Economies in the Balkans: CHANGE POLICY NOT CLIMATE!” , which is the result of trans-border cooperation and research in Macedonia, Serbia and Bulgaria.
Programme
09:30 – 10:30: Arrival of participants and speakers
10:30 – 11:00: Registration and welcome coffee
11:00 – 11:15: Opening:

Moderating: Maja Morachanin MP
Aleksandar Gjorgjievski, transnational coordinator

Short presentation of the 2018 project

ASSED Sunrise – Skopje,

11:15 – 11:30: Presentation of 2017 GEF Publication: Revision of the Economies in the Balkans: Change Policy Not Climate

Hristina Odzaklievska, Head Researcher, Macedonia
Zaklina Zivkovic, Networked, National Coordinator, Serbia

11:30 – 12:00: Public Policies Towards a Green Economy in the Republic of Macedonia

Ljiljana Popovska, MP

12:00 – 12:30: Coffee break
12:30 – 14:00: Panel: Green Economy – Cooperative Society

Ana Petrovska, State Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Planning

Open Cooperatives as a Driving Force of the Economic Transformation

Dirk Holemans, Oikos, Belgium
Iva Marković, PolEkol, Serbia

14:00 – 15:00: Lunch

Registration
To register for this event, please contact Aleksandar Gjorgjievski aleksgo@gmail.com.

Shaping the Energy Sector in Europe (Skopje)
2018-10-05 09:30 - 16:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Hotel Porta Skopje, Vladimir Komarov bb, Skopje, 1000, Macedonia
Context
This conference is part of the Green European Foundation Energy Democracy transnational project, which aims to explore the potential of an energy transition for Europe and how to shape this process in a democratic, participatory way.
Europe has to change its energy system into a fully renewable one to transition to a sustainable economy and to establish a real climate policy. This is a major challenge for every Member State of the European Union, but will only succeed if the states work to together.
European citizens are already playing an active role, together with governments at different levels, as they are organising themselves in national energy cooperatives and also the European Federation REScoop.
Studies show that by 2050, around 45% of all EU households could be producing their own renewable energy, more than a third could come through renewable energy cooperatives. This constitutes a huge opportunity for regional economic development, as locally-owned renewable energy projects deliver eight times the value of projects that are owned by private companies not from the area. The reality in the different Member States is however extremely diverse. While the contribution of citizens’ Energy co-ops and local communities is well recognized in Western Europe, the situation in Eastern Europe is quite the opposite.
About the event
The conference will bring together contributors from GEF partners, energy cooperatives and energy sectors to discuss renewable energy potential on both a Europe and local level.
Programme
09:30 – 10:30: Arrival of participants and speakers
10:30 – 11:00: Registration and welcome coffee
11:00 – 11:15: Opening:

Short presentation of the 2018 project
Aleksandar Gjorgjievski, national coordinator
ASSED Sunrise, Skopje

11:15 – 12:00: Presentation: The Transformation to Energy Democracy

Dirk Holemans, transnational coordinator Oikos, Belgium

12:00 – 12:30: Coffee break
12:30 – 13:10: Energy Cooperatives in Europe

Quest from ReScoop

13:10 – 13:40: Energy Sector in Macedonia and the Region – Current & Future Perspective

Ervin Redjepagikj

13:40 – 14:00: Renewable Energy

Aleksandar Hristu Kanevce

14:00 – 15:00: Discussion on Energy Democracy – with the speakers
15:00 – 16:00: Lunch

Registration
To register for this event, please contact Aleksandar Gjorgjievski aleksgo@gmail.com.

Facing up to Climate Reality (Norwich)
2018-09-29 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | The Forum, 2 Millenium Plain, Norwich, NR2 1TF, United Kingdom
Context
With the consequences of climate change being more and more perceptible, also in European countries, through extreme weather events, verifiable research is urgently needed to set targets and policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the amount required to secure a livable environment.
What would those reductions mean in practical terms, for instance for our economies? Can we create jobs in rural areas across Europe and not only secure a safe but also a just, economically sound life for all?
GEF’s transnational project “Strengthening Climate Targets, Creating Local Climate Jobs” explores those questions and aims to explore the potential to create more climate jobs in three EU countries with diverse history and economic prerequisites: United Kingdom, Ireland and Hungary.
About the event
Our upcoming one-day conference, organised with the support of Green House Think Tank, will consider these questions, as well as what we can learn from past extreme weather events in Europe for how we might cope in the future. It will be one stepping stone towards our upcoming research publication on the potential of local jobs creation in the three mentioned countries and will serve as an opportunity to discuss first findings for the United Kingdom more in-depth.
Programme
9:30 -10:00 REGISTRATION
10:00 -10:10 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS – Rupert Read
10:10 – 11:30 FACING UP TO CLIMATE REALITY – chaired by Catherine Rowett, with Brian Heatley and Asher Minns
11:30 -11:45 BREAK
11:45 – 13:00 CLIMATE JOBS – chaired by Anne Chapman, with Jonathan Essex and Peter Sims
13:45 – 14:45 FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMIES – chaired by Rupert Read, with Simon Fairlie and Helen Baczkovska
14:45 – 15:00 BREAK
15:00 – 15:30 DEALING WITH EXTREME WEATHER – chaired by Rupert Read, with Anne Chapman
15:30 – 16:00 FINAL DISCUSSION
Speaker Biographies
Rupert Read is chair of Green House think tank and Reader in Philosophy at the University of East Anglia.
Catherine Rowett is professor of philosophy at the University of East Anglia. She was the Green Party parliamentary candidate for South Norfolk in the 2015 and 2017 General Elections.
Brian Heatley is a founder member of Green House think tank. He is a former senior civil servant and former policy co-ordinator for the Green Party.
Asher Minns is executive director of the Tyndall Centre at the University of East Anglia. He is a science communicator who specialises in knowledge transfer of climate change research to audiences that are outside of academia.
Jonathan Essex is a member of Green House and an associate of Bioregional where he advises on new project development and policy. He previously worked for bioregional on sustainable construction and material reuse. He is a Green Party district and county councillor for Redhill, Surrey. He has led the work done by Green House on ‘Climate Jobs’.
Peter Sims is an Electronic Engineer who specialises in systems engineering and in particular the overlap and interfaces between human and non-human systems. He has carried out the modelling to estimate the number of jobs that could be created by the transition to a low carbon economy in Green House’s work on ‘Climate Jobs’.
Simon Fairlie is one of the editors of The Land, an occasional magazine about land rights, and author of Meat, a Benign Extravagance (Permanent Publications, 2010). He runs Chapter 7, which provides planning advice to smallholders and other low income people in the countryside. He has also had much practical experience of small scale farming in the UK and France.
Helen Baczkovska is an ecologist and writer based in rural Norfolk. She works as a conservation officer at Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
Anne Chapman is a member of Green House think tank. In 2017 she organised a conference in Lancaster (where she lives) on dealing with extreme weather.

Stay tuned for updates on the programme here and via our Twitter and Facebook channels.
The conference is free of charge but secure your place now by registering via this link. For further information, get in touch with info@greenhousethinktank.org.

Good Governance, Good Practices (Valletta)
2018-09-29 - 2018-09-30
Context
During recent years, examples of bad governance, such as the Panama Papers, the Luxleaks, Dieselgate as well as the Paradise Papers, and so forth, have emerged and raised questions about the rule of law, and fueled the rise of populism and EU scepticism. Not the least, Malta, the smallest of the European Member states, has come to the fore as a prominent journalist, who was investigating the Panama papers, was murdered in 2017.
An exchange on best practices of good governance on a European level is therefore urgently needed.
About the event
The one-day conference will discuss good governance in Malta and in the EU. Amongst other topics, the role of public services in Malta and the current state of play of governance in the European Union will be addressed. This project will enable participants to discuss issues and the way forward both on a local and EU level.
This public event will gather Green politicians and activists, civil society activists and journalists to discuss these matters while providing a platform for networking among Greens and civil society organisations active in the field.
Programme
9:00 – 9:30 REGISTRATION
9:30 – 9:40 WELCOME:
Danika Formosa, Project Co-ordinator, Ceratonia Foundation
09:40 – 09:50 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: THE EUROPEAN GREEN MOVEMENT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
Aurélie Maréchal, Director Green European Foundation
09:50 – 10:10 THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE IN ENSURING GOOD GOVERNANCE
Dr George Vital Zammit, Deputy Dean (FEMA), Lecturer, Department of Public Policy
10:10 – 10:40 CLIENTELISM AND GOOD GOVERNANCE: IS CO-EXISTENCE POSSIBLE?
Prof Godfrey Pirotta, Professor at the Department of Public Policy, University of Malta
10:40 – 11:00 SPEAKERS DISCUSSION WITH PARTICIPANTS
Chaired by Mario Mallia, Deputy leader of Alternattiva Demokratika
10:45 – 11:00 COFFEE BREAK
11:00-12:00 THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY OF GOVERNANCE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
Nóra Köves, Human Rights Activist, Fundamentum
Ioana Banach, Deputy Director Green European Foundation
Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart, Director Fundacja Strefa Zieleni
12:00 – 12:20 GOOD GOVERNANCE AN ESSENTIAL BUILDING BLOCK FOR MALTA’S REPUTATION
Dr Harry Vassallo, Former Chairman Alternattiva Demokratika
12:20 – 12:50 SPEAKERS DISCUSSION WITH PARTICIPANTS
Chaired by Mario Mallia, Deputy leader of Alternattiva Demokratika
12:50 – 13:00 CLOSING REMARKS
Carmel Cacopardo, leader of the Green Party
Registration
The registration for the this event can be found here
If more information is required, feel free to contact us on: ceratonia@alternattiva.org.mt

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Revision of the Economies in the Balkans (Skopje)
2018-09-21 16:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Brussels)
CONTEXT
This research report was produced as part of a project of the Green European Foundation in 2017 with the joint effort of the research teams in three Balkan countries:
BlueLink Foundation – Bulgaria
The Association for Sustainable Social and Economic Development SUNRISE – Macedonia
Networked – Serbia.
The research report highlights which political conditions are necessary to move towards a green economy in the three countries, and compares their prospects in terms of social factors and legal and policy frameworks.
This event is invitation only. The full research publication is available for free at GEF website.
PROGRAMME
21st September 2018
16:00 – 16:30 Registration and welcome coffee
16:30 – 16:50 Opening and Introduction of the research and cooperation with GEF
Aleksandar Gjorgjievski – Transnational coordinator ASSED Sunrise – Skopje
16:50 – 17:30 Hristina Odzaklievska – National researcher in Macedonia
Presentation of research and methodology
17:30 – 18:00 Coffee break
18:00 – 18:30 Ervin Regjepagic – Energy sector in Macedonia
18:30 – 19:00 Jasmina Pakaski – Sustainable development
19:00 – 19:30 Bojan Petrovski – Green economy and Green policy
19:30 – 20:00 Aleksandar Gjorgjievski – President of ASSED Sunrise – Macedonia
Presentation of the GEF project Green Economy: Cooperative Society and Announcement of the International conference on 6th October 2018
20:00 – 21:00 Dinner and closing of the promotion event

It’s Our Turn! Congress of Young Europeans (Prague)
2018-08-30 18:00 - 2018-09-02 19:00 (Europe/Brussels)
About the event
At the four-day congress in Prague, selected participants will have the chance to come together in a historically important Central European capital to discuss their visions of Europe’s future. Participants will reflect on the protest movements from 1968 and 1989 and debate issues that concern them today as well as ways in which they can mobilise to shape the future for the better. In addition to this, the Green European Foundation (GEF) will contribute to the congress with a pre-event online course, providing for a common knowledge base for all participants, as well as a platform for debates ahead of their trip to Prague.
Programme:
Thursday August 30
18:00-22:00 Opening event and dinner reception
Friday 31 August
9:30-10:30 Welcome and introduction
Ellen Ueberschär, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany
Carlotta Weber, Green European Foundation, Belgium
Teo Comet, Federation of Young European Greens, Belgium
10:30-12:30 ‘It’s Our Turn’ – plenary discussion about young activists, politicians, artists and public engagement
Moderation: Özge Kara, Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe, Serbia
Václav Kříž, Mladí občané, city councillor in Krásno, Czech Republic
Sergey Lagodinsky, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany
Vincent Madeline, Europe Écologie-Les Verts, France
Maria Demisheva, Feminist Workshop, Ukraine
14:00-17:30 City walks in Prague
17:30-19:30 Film screening: ‘Leave/Stay’ followed by discussion with Mariann Dósa, School of Public Life, Hungary, and László Józsa, Film producer, Hungary
19:30-20:30 Dinner
20:30-22:30 Screening of the film “Jan Palach”by Robert Sedláček (2018, English subtitles)
Saturday September 1
9:30-10:00 Introduction of the community space Studio ALTA
10:00-12:00 WORKSHOPS: Protest Movements and Activism

Elections, protest movements ad the role of young people – School of Public Life, Hungary
The use of artistic tools in contemporary activism – Studio ALTA, Czech Republic
Human Rights Workshop – Panoptykon Foundation, Poland
“The spirit of 1968”: What it was and what is left – Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany

12:00-13:30 Lunch
13:30-15:30 Participants’ presentations and discussion
15:30-16:00 Coffee break
16:00-18:00 WORKSHOPS: Our Role in Public Spaces

Manage your town! – Mladí Občané, Czech Republic
Art and culture shaping public spaces – Studio ALTA, Czech Republic
“We started from the bottom, now we are here” – interactive workshop with urban activists from Eastern Europe – Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe, Serbia
Children in Urban Development – Milota Siorová, Urbanist, Slovakia
Housing in European cities – Czech Young Greens

18:00-19:30 Dinner
19:30-21:00 PANEL DISCUSSION: The Future of Democracy in Europe – How to defend the core values of open and plural societies?
Moderation: Agata Skrzypczyk, Journalist, Poland
Lluis Camprubi, Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds, Catalonia – Spain
Vít Havelka, Europeum, Czech Republic
Terry Reintke, Member of European Parliament for Greens/EFA, Germany
Ellen Ueberschär, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany
Sunday September 2
9:30-11:30 WORKSHOPS: Our Future of Europe

European Green Activism – Green European Foundation, Belgium
Safeguarding Democracy in the EU – Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany, and Linda Schneider, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
The Role of Youth in Shaping Europe – Federation of Young Europeans
“Migration is our Encounter with Globalisation!”: A Future Lab on the EU’s Migration Policy – Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany, and Ali Nobil Ahmad, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, Germany

11:30-12:00 Coffee break
11:45-13:30 Presentations from workshops – Follow-up
13:30-14:45 Lunch
14:45-16:00 Evaluation and closing
16:30-19:00 Film screenings and discussion in cooperation with the JIHLAVA Film Festival
19:00-20:00 Dinner
20:00-22:00 Farewell Party with a concert of Šarbilach Orchestr

This event is organised by the Green European Foundation in collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Prague.

GEF at the BIEN Congress 2018 (Tampere)
2018-08-23 08:00 - 2018-08-26 17:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Tampere, Kalevantie 4,, Tampere, 33100
Context
In the framework of the “Basic Income for all EU Citizens?” transnational project, the GEF experts’ group, comprised of Basic Income experts from Finland, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Serbia, and the United Kingdom, will attend the BIEN Congress to discuss the latest developments in the studies and application of the Basic Income models across Europe. In addition to their participation in the conference, the experts’ group will come together in a meeting organised by GEF to facilitate the development of the GEF Basic Income project.
GEF will be present throughout the entire Congress displaying and disseminating the outcomes of various GEF projects related to the topic.
About the event
The 2018 BIEN Congress plans to build on the growing interest in Basic Income by inviting activists, stakeholders, policymakers, students and researchers to discuss the promises of Basic Income against the background of the need for a “new universalism”. The 2018 Congress is entitled “Basic Income and the New Universalism: Rethinking the Welfare State in the 21st Century”.
BIEN 2018 features a Film Festival with a dozen productions from around the world on the topic of Basic Income. The Film Festival will run alongside the congress and can be visited by Congress participants but is also open to the general public. The Congress language is English.

For more information about the conference and registration, visit the website of the BIEN 2018.

Exploring the Economic Impact of Migration (Oxford)
2018-06-18 10:00 - 17:30 (Europe/Brussels) | St Hugh’s College, St Margaret's Rd, Oxford , OX2 6LE, United Kingdom
Context
Europe seems stuck and appears to be paralysed by the latest inward migratory processes. This is affecting democracy itself as people are unable to find a party which expresses their fears and politicians are unable to find solutions and scenarios that they can relate to. As a result, core values of the European Union and green values are jeopardised whereas populist and right-wing forces are still on a winning streak in large parts of the EU and anti-migration rhetoric has not least also played a role during the EU referendum in the United Kingdom.
About the event
The transboundary need for a change of narrative to disseminate the reality of migrants among society and their impact on the society in return is evident. Hence, the conference, while building on experiences and findings of GEF’s transnational project of the past two years on migration and asylum policies in the EU, aims to put progressive political forces back ahead of the game to drive a positive approach to international migration.
One aspect will be to showcase, how the Thames Valley, Oxford University and other European hubs are a success – not only economically – specifically due to their inward migrations. Moreover, the event will also look at the growing impact of climate change and how that aspect can be channelled for the green family to offer its unique solutions as a force for positive change.
The conference will feature speakers from Europe, for instance the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Malta, etc. but also experiences from Nigeria and other parts of the world.
Draft Programme
10:00 – 11:00 INTRODUCTION TO THE GREEN EUROPEAN FOUNDATION PROJECT “CHANGING THE NARRATIVE OF MIGRATION”
11:00 – 11:30 COFFEE BREAK
11:30 – 13:00 CONTEMPORARY CHANGES TO THE LABOUR MARKET
13:00 – 14:00 LUNCH
14:00 – 15:00 HI-TECH SOLUTIONS; THE VALUE AND IMPACT OF MIGRATION
15:00 – 16:00 EXAMPLES OF INWARD MIGRATION AND BEST PRACTICES
16:00 – 16:30 TEA BREAK
16:30 – 17:00 CLOSING PANEL AND DISCUSSION: Migration of the future – Choices and pathways

Register and purchase your tickets now by following this link and stay tuned for updates by following us on Facebook or Twitter .

Fast Ratcheting Down of Personal and Global Carbon Budgets (Oxford)
2018-06-17 09:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Brussels) | St Hugh’s College, St Margaret's Rd, Oxford , OX2 6LE, United Kingdom
Context of the event
To achieve the ambition of limiting the global temperature rise this century to 1.5 degrees Celsius as stated in the Paris Agreement concluded during the COP21 negotiations in Paris in late 2015, new methodologies and pathways to move faster towards stabilising the global climate need to be considered. Scientific and technological options must be re-examined.
About the event
Therefore the upcoming one-day event introduces the use of Global and Personal Carbon Budgets, and will provide a space for experts from all over Europe, and beyond, to debate and consider different options in the run up to the coming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Katowice, the COP24.
Draft Programme
10:00 – 11:00 PANEL 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE SCIENCE United Nations Climate Process COP21-COP24 and the Paris Agreement ‘Ambition’
11:00 – 11:30 COFFEE BREAK
11:30 – 13:00 PANEL 2: SWITCHING FROM COAL TO RENEWABLES The Context of Poland and the rapid change from Coal to Renewables
13:00 – 14:00 LUNCH BREAK
14:00 – 15:00 PANEL 3: EXAMINING THE TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS Renewables. Carbon and Distribution
15:00 – 16:00 PANEL 4: ACHIEVING A 2 TONNES OF CARBON LIFESTYLE AND ECONOMY Methodologies and prerequisites
16:00 CLOSING PANEL AND DISCUSSION

Register now by following this link and stay tuned for updates by following us on Facebook or Twitter to learn about our other activities.

Creating Eco-Societies through Urban Commons Transitions (Brussels)
2018-06-08 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/Brussels) | IHECS, Rue de l'Etuve 58-60, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
Context: Towards socio-ecological societies
Cities are becoming a new and hopeful transnational governance level. They are organising themselves in a whole tissue of networks (Fearless Cities, Fabcities, etc.), working together in domains like climate policy, renewable energy and urban economy.
At the same time, citizens are developing a whole range of urban commons, based on co-operation and an ethics of care. Tired of only being a powerless consumer or a passive citizen, we get active as maker, urban farmer, solidarity volunteer, user of shared resources, civic or social entrepreneur, etc. This goes along with the establishment of new organisations and infrastructures like fab labs, energy co-ops, co-working spaces, urban food production plots, and many more.
In recent years, we have seen cities like Ghent and Bologna moving a step further, establishing structures and processes that aim at building synergies between the public and the commons domain. This is part of a new political vision, the Partner State. So, a partner city sustains and gives incentives to alternative civil and economic institutions, like the commons and cooperatives. The conference, as part of this year’s transnational project around Urban Commons Transitions, therefore aims to look at these developments of collaborative city-making and to examine those prototypes of transformative cities as a driving force towards socio-ecological societies.
About the Event: A conference to inspire and motivate
Lately institutions, research groups and organisations were created to investigate how commons could be integrated in a more sustainable way in the vivid networks of cities. During this conference, organised with the support of the Flemish Think Tank Oikos, experts from different projects and institutions will inspire you with their knowledge and findings about sustainable commons in cities.
Draft Programme
19:30 – 19:40 INTRODUCTION Dirk Holemans, Director of Oikos and GEF Board member
19:40 – 20:20 THE VISION OF TWO EXPERTS Michel Bauwens & Elena De Nictolis
20:20 – 20:50 THREE STORIES ON URBAN COMMONS
Marie Haspeslagh, Enchanté – a network of warm-hearted merchants
Lucie Evers, Partago – a coop for electric car sharing – Mobility Factory
3rd speaker to be announced
20:50 – 21:10 PANEL DISCUSSION “CHANGING THE CITY”, Marie Haspeslagh, Lucie Evers, tbc
21:10 – 21:30 CLOSING PANEL “URBAN COMMONS TRANSITION”, Michel Bauwens & Elena De Nictolis
Keynote speakers

Michel Bauwens
Founder and director of the P2P Foundation and expert in peer production, governance and property. Bauwens is a well-known public speaker and thought leader. In 2017 he wrote the Commons Transition Plan for Ghent, after a similar project for Ecuador.

Elena De Nictolis
Research associate at LabGov, the LABoratory for the GOVernance of the City as a Commons. She prepares a Phd thesis on public policies for urban co-governance and the relation with the quality of city democracy at LUISS University of Rome.

Register now
To attend this inspiring conference, follow this link and order your tickets on the bottom of the page.
To complete your registration, transfer the entrance fee of 5 € to [REDACTED] (BIC: GEBA BE BB) Oikos vzw with the reference ‘Commons Congress’.

Stay tuned for updates
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Education for Europe – Building Capacities Towards and Beyond 2019 (Brussels)
2018-06-05 08:00 - 2018-06-07 17:00 (Europe/Brussels)
Context
The Green European Foundation (GEF) invites organisations invested in strengthening the European green movement to join its annual networking and capacity building meeting on education and training. This year’s special edition is entitled “Education for Europe – building capacity towards and beyond 2019” and will take place in Brussels on June 5 to 7, 2018.
Over the past decade, GEF has built expertise in capacity building as integral part of its work programme through online courses, face-to-face trainings across Europe such as the European Green Activists Training or our Fundraising Training for projects on Migration and Asylum. In this spirit, “Education for Europe – building capacity towards and beyond 2019” will serve as a platform for political discussions on the role of training for advancing activism, as well as an opportunity to identify training and educational needs within the Green network, as well as available resources and inspiring initiatives taking place across Europe. The meeting will combine formal and non-formal training and facilitation methods.
About the event
This year’s edition is aimed at GEF’s members and partner’s foundations, as well as other NGOs, citizen movements, educational institutes, youth organisations and green parties active in the field of education, training and capacity-building. Through this event, participants will be able to:

Engage in a political discussion on the role of capacity-building and trainings ahead of the upcoming European elections;
Create new partnerships with other actors implementing trainings on green topics across Europe;
Expand their knowledge on building successful online learning courses;
Gain knowledge and inspiration on adding a European dimension to their training programmes;
Transfer and gain knowledge on resources and tools that can boost educational projects;
Increase their impact and outreach through expanding and diversifying the green network of trainers and trainings;
Participate in the creation of a governance model for European green pool of trainers and experts.

Draft Programme
TUESDAY 5 JUNE
14:00 – 15:00 CAPACITY BUILDING AS BREEDING GROUND OF THE GREEN MOVEMENT Keynote speech
15:00 – 16:00 OUTREACH AND NETWORK EXPANSION Political discussion
16:30 – 18:30 CREATING SYNERGIES: EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS 2018-2019 Market Place – parallel sessions
WEDNESDAY 6 JUNE
10:15 – 12:00 LET’S CREATE A GREEN POOL OF TRAINERS! Training session & moderated discussion
12:00 – 13:30 HOW ABOUT STARTING AN ONLINE COURSE? Training session
14:30 – 16:30 PARALLEL WORKSHOPS

FUNDRAISING FOR POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS
HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL EVENT & PUBLICATION PROMOTION STRATEGY?
GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION: ARE YOU COMPLIANT?

16:30 – 18:00 OPEN SPACE Parallel sessions and working groups
THURSDAY 7 JUNE
10:15-12:15 PROJECTS INCUBATOR Interactive working session in small groups
12:15-13:15 EVALUATION & CLOSING

Stay tuned for updates
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The socio-economic model of the Commons in Europe (El Prat de Llobregat)
2018-06-02 09:30 - 15:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Cèntric Espai Cultural, Plaça de Catalunya 39-41, El Prat de Llobregat, 08820, Spain
Context
Local governments have to rethink their way of doing politics with more and more citizens’ initiatives emerging across Europe that are establishing new organisations, introducing a shared economy and leave the image of a passive citizenry behind them. The challenge ahead is therefore to build specific structures and processes that foster synergies between the public and the commons domain.
These developments could lead to a prototype of transformative cities, being the driving force introducing the socio-economic model of the Commons as the new paradigm. Governmental structures however must be reformed to constitute a so-called Partner State, where politicians perceive their constituency as a community of citizens with a lot of experience and creativity and top-down politics are left behind.
About the event
By highlighting several best practices from Catalonia and all over Europe and in particular the municipal level as the most fertile ground for commons practices, this conference will showcase inspiring examples of how this Partner State can be realised and organised in the best possible way.
Draft Programme
9:30 – 10:00 REGISTRATION
10:00 – 10:15 WELCOME Susanne Rieger, Green European Foundation Co-president
10:15 – 10:30 INTRODUCTION TO THE CONFERENCE Sergi Alegre, Fundació Nous Horitzons
10:30 – 11:15 KEYNOTE: A NEW SOCIO-ECONOMIC MODEL – COMMONS IN EUROPE Dirk Holemans, Director Oikos Think Tank and City Councillor of Ghent (Belgium)
11:15 – 11:45 COFFEE BREAK
11:45 – 12:45 MUNICIPALITY AND THE COMMONS

The case of Barcelona Lluís Torrens
The case of Prat de Llobregat Lluís Mijoler

12:45 – 13:45 ECONOMY OF THE COMMONS

Esperanzah! Foundation Òscar Rando
Obrera de Vivendas Cooperative Dolors Camats

13:45 – 14:15 SOCIETY OF THE COMMONS: The example of the region of the South Perpignan District (France) Bruno Soula
14:15 LUNCH

Register now by sending an email to fundacio@noushoritzons.cat and stay tuned for updates by following us on Facebook or Twitter to learn about our other activities.

Greening the Economy in Balkans: Cooperative Society (Belgrade)
2018-06-01 11:45 - 16:30 (Europe/Brussels) | Eu Info Centar, Kralja Milana 7, 11000 Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Context
At the beginning of 2018, a publication The Revision of the Economy in the Balkans: Change Policy, Not Climate, as well as a green economy manual, was published as a part of the transnational project carried out by Green European Foundation supported by Blue Link Bulgaria, Sunrise Macedonia and Networked Serbia.
The research done in the previous years has shown immense potential and pointed out the fact that these national economies are currently going in a different direction: subsidising multinational companies and mega infrastructure projects, privatizing natural resources. A process of political centralization, by taking competences from the local level and exclusion of the citizens from the economic and social decisions is evident. In this political environment, the only possible solution is a creation of bottom-up, self-organized, citizens’ initiatives with a purpose of association of labor and services. The countries of the region have their own historical legacy of a cooperative economy in socialism, which is now in a process of renewal.
About the event
The research has shown the immense potential of the process of greening the economy in Balkans, which is currently challenged. The conference will aim to present the relevant results of the study and to be a platform for discussion on how to start a green business in Serbia and on the cooperative model as one of the viable solutions.
The conference will be an occasion to present the main results of the research published in The Revision of the Economy in the Balkans: Change Policy, Not Climate. The event will host two panel discussions with prominent organisations and individuals working on the green economy in Serbia.
Programme
11:45 – 12:00 Opening a conference
12:00 – 13:30 Panel: How to start a green business in Balkans?
Hristina Odžaklieska, Sunrise Macedonia
Miloš Stančić, Networked/GAJP
Jelena Plavanski, PKS- Belgrade Chamber of Commerce
Ivana Marković, Trag Fondation
Moderator: Violeta Jovanov Peštanac, Networked
13:45 – 15:15 Panel: Green Cooperatives and Cooperative Economy: Innovative Forms of Economics
Represetative of Baštalište
Representative of Association for Sustainable Development (ASOR)
Stjepan Car, Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ) Hrvatska
Kristina Cvejanov, Serbian Packaging waste Recyclers Association
Moderator: Iva Marković, Polekol
15:15 – 15:30 Closing word: Žaklina Živković, Networked
Stay tuned for updates
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Transforming the society from the City of the Commons (Vitoria-Gasteiz)
2018-05-08 17:30 - 21:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Palacio de Congresos Europa de Vitoria, Av. Gasteiz, 85, Vitoria-Gasteiz, 01009
Context: European cities as the key element of transnational governance
More and more cities across Europe and worldwide are organising themselves through initiatives such as Eurocities, Fearless Cities, Fabcities and many more, to work together in areas such as climate policy, renewable energy or urban economy.
Especially cities with progressive governments are spearheading this development and are becoming the key factor of transnational governance. Oftentimes the respective initiatives start from the bottom up and there must then be a fertile ground provided by local administrations so they can flourish. Those new types of relationships between the public sphere and the commons can become the key drivers within a transformative city model that will ultimately help us achieve more just and ecological societies.
About the event
This conference aims to serve as a collective reflection on the urban governance of cities and the limits and functions of the cooperation between administration and an active citizenry across Europe. Experts from Italy, Belgium and Spain will share their experiences and best practices that are implemented in other cities. It will be organised in conjunction with a conference of the New Economic and Social Innovation Forum (NESI), that will be held the following day, on 9 May, at the same venue.
Draft Programme
17:30 – 17:40 OPENING Óscar Fernández, Member of EQUO and Councillor of Vitoria-Gasteiz
17:40 – 18:30 KEYNOTE “OSTROM IN THE CITY: PRINCIPLES AND DESIGN PRACTICES FOR URBAN COMMONS” Christian Iaione, Associate professor of public law at Guglielmo Marconi University of Rome, visiting professor of governance of the commons at LUISS Guido Carli where he directs LabGov.
18:30 – 20:45 ROUNDTABLES: THE NEW EUROPEAN CITIES OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMON SPHERE
1. Citizens’ initiatives

Culture and political thought in Madrid, Iñaki Alonso, vice-president of the Teatro del Barrio cooperative
Urban gardens in Zabalortu, Susana Cantero, activist and member of Zabalortu Association
Energy cooperatives, Erika Martínez, Communication Manager of GoiEner

Moderated by: Borja Izaola, architect, anthropologist and consultant
19:30 – 19:45 BREAK
2. Initiatives of local administrations

The experience of Ghent, Dirk Holemans, councillor of Ghent and member of the board of the
Green European Foundation
B-MINCOME project (Barcelona), Lluis Torrens, Director of Planning and Innovation of the Social Rights
Area of the Barcelona City Council
Manage waste creating citizen value (Madrid), Reyes Montiel, Director of the Environment and Mobility Department of the Barcelona City Council

Moderated by: Maritxu Díez, journalist
20:45 – 21:00 CLOSING AND CONCLUSIONS Xabi Marrero, spokesperson of EQUO Araba
This conference will be simultaneous interpretation Spanish-English throughout the conference.

Register now by following this link and stay tuned for updates by following us on Facebook or Twitter to learn about our other activities.

Who Will Deliver(oo) the New Economy? - Technological disruption and new forms of regulation (Brussels)
2017-12-01 13:00 - 17:30 (Europe/Brussels) | Royal Library of Belgium, Mont des Arts, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
Context
Companies presenting themselves as mere digital platforms, such as Uber, Airbnb, Deliveroo, etc., are changing our economy in a rapid pace. These techno-economic disrupters not only change the way we produce or deliver services, but also lead to radical changes in the labour market, the availability and the organization of work. They question the existing regime of our national welfare states with a social security system build on full employment in stable and localized jobs.
The crucial question is how we will be able to re-embedded these new companies that tend to ignore legislation and deny the European social contract. This is more than an economic issue: more flexible and precarious jobs feed the growing insecurity in our society, which is a feeding ground for populists and national authoritarianism. So we need progressive answers that embrace the possibilities of digital platforms while at the same time empowering workers and their freedom and building new systems of social security.
Programme
13:00-13:10 Opening words (Aurélie Maréchal, Director Green European Foundation)
13:10-13:35 Keynote – The Need for a Green Transformation. Freedom and Security in Uncertain Times (Dirk Holemans, Director Oikos Denktank), followed by a Q&A
13:35-14:00 The Ethics of Things. Staying Human in the Robot Age (Jochanan Eynikel, Business philosopher Etion)
14:00-14:35 A Manifesto to Reform the Gig Economy (Antonio Aloisi, PhD candidate University of Milan)
14:35-15:10 Cabfair – We Can Do Better than Uber (Duncan McCann, New Economics Foundation)
15:10 coffee break
15:20-16:00 Panel debate –The European Dimension, moderated by Aurélie Maréchal

Philippe Lamberts (MEP Greens/EFA)
Frank Moreels (President European Transport Workers Federation)

16:00-16:45 Panel debate – The Future of New Economy

Meyrem Almaci (President Groen party)
Antonio Aloisi (University Milano)
Duncan McCann (New Economics Foundation)

16:45 Reception & Networking
More information
The event is free of charge – to register, please fill in this form. For more updates, see the Facebook event.
