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Jan 31 2018
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The Potential Impact of Brexit on the Prospects for a Green Transition in Europe

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Context

In a referendum on 23 June 2016, 51.9% of the participating UK electorate (the turnout was 72.2% of the electorate) voted to leave the EU. On 29 March 2017, the British government invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union. The UK is thus on course to leave the EU on 29 March 2019.

This event has enormous implications not only for the future of the EU as a polity, but also for the green transition to a sustainable society and economy which is the fundamental aim shared by Green parties across Europe. The Green European Foundation therefore decided, with the help of its national project partner organisations, coordinated by Green House think tank in the UK, to hold a series of public discussion events over the course of 2017 to explore those implications.

About the project

The project aimed to examine these questions on a comparative European basis, involving selected EU member states for which Brexit raises particularly pressing issues, related either to their relationship with the UK or to their own national political situation (or both).

The rationale behind the project was two-fold. Firstly, it was intended to provide a platform for the exploration of the possible short- and medium-term impacts of Brexit on environmental and economic policies directly affecting the transition to sustainability, both in the UK and in the rest of Europe. Secondly, it was motivated by the belief that the Brexit decision in the UK raises urgent and difficult questions about the continuing coherence and effectiveness of the EU as a polity, at least in its current form, and whether it still represents the best vehicle for the achievement of sustainability in Europe in the long term.

The results and key finding are summarised in this paper. Free digital version is available for download below.

Oct 13 2017
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Roundtable: Brexit and the implications for a Green Europe (Berlin)

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The event is a part of the ongoing transnational project “The potential impact of Brexit on the prospects for a Green transition in Europe” which attempts to support the much-needed public discussion of Brexit’s impact on individual Member States, as well as on the EU level, while exploring what this means for the Green movements’ endeavour in the transition to sustainability.

Programme

9h00-9h10 Welcome – Sergey Lagodinsky (Head of Department EU and North America, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung)

9h10-9h20 Where do we stand with Brexit and what’s next? – Ray Cunningham (Green House Think Tank UK)

9h20-9h35 Commentary – Cornelius Huppertz (Department Northern Europe, Foreign Ministry Germany)

9h35-10h20 Discussion

10h30-12h00 Panel 1: The impact of Brexit for a Green Europe

Viviane Gravey (Lecturer, Queen’s University of Belfast)
Jonathan Gaventa (E3G, Director Brussels)
Katharina Umpfenbach (Senior Fellow Ecologic Institute, Berlin)

12h00-13h00 Lunch

13h00-14h30 Panel 2: Does Brexit possible offer opportunities for a deepening of democratic structures in Europe?

Jean Quatramer (tbc) (European Correspondent, Libération, Brussels)
Giles Merrit (tbc) (Friends of Europe, Brussels)
Klaus Linsenmeier (Director Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung EU office Brussels)
Thierry Chopin (tbc) (Director, Jacques Delors Institute, Paris)

The panels will be moderated by Brexit expert, blogger and green activist Jon Worth.

15h00-16h00 Wrap up: What are green positions and demands during the Brexit negotiations? How should we as Greens position ourselves? 

Moderation: Sergey Lagodinsky (Head of Department EU and North America, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung)

Registration:

In order to participate in this debate, please register by sending an email to Claudia Rothe at: rothe@boell.de.

Results:

The report from the event is available in German here.

Sep 14 2017
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Brexit and the Green Transition in Europe (London)

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This event is the concluding conference the ongoing transnational project “The potential impact of Brexit on the prospects for a Green transition in Europe” which attempts to support the much-needed public discussion of Brexit’s impact on individual Member States, as well as on the EU level, while exploring what this means for the Green movements’ endeavour in the transition to sustainability.

Six countries are taking part – France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and the UK. In each country, we are organising public debates with a particular focus on the implications of Brexit for that country. All these events are linked by a common framework of questions, and the concluding conference – in London on 11 November – will bring together representatives from the all the participating countries and organisations for mutual learning and planning.

PROGRAMME

1. Morning session: UK focus
10.30 Registration, coffee + tea
11.00 Welcome and introduction from GEF Co-President Lucile Schmid and from Panel Chair Norman Baker (former UK Minister for Transport)

11.15 Keynote presentation: Molly Scott Cato MEP
11.45 Responses from a panel of experts including Caroline Lucas MP,  Prof. Peter Newell (University of Sussex) and Rupert Read  (Green House)
12.15 Chaired discussion with panel and audience
13.00 LUNCH

2. Afternoon session: European focus
14.00: Introduction by Session Chair Nuala Ahern, Green Foundation Ireland and former MEP for the Irish Green Party
14.15 Presentations on the national events and perspectives:

  • France: Dr Viviane Gavey, Queens University Belfast
  • Poland: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart, Director, Polish Green Foundation
  • Ireland: Prof. John Barry, Queens University Belfast
  • Sweden: Mikael Karlsson, President, European Environmental Bureau
  • Germany: Terry Reintke, MEP

15.15 Chaired discussion with panel and audience
16.15 Closing remarks from Jean Lambert MEP
16.30 – 18.00 Wine reception

REGISTRATION

Participation in this event is free of charge. Drinks and food will be available for a small charge. To confirm your attendance, please register here. If you have any questions, please send an email to the project coordinator Ray Cunningham.

RESULTS

The results of the event are published here.

Aug 22 2017
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Transition to Sustainability in Europe post-Brexit (Belfast)

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The event is a part of the ongoing transnational project “The potential impact of Brexit on the prospects for a Green transition in Europe” which attempts to support the much-needed public discussion of Brexit’s impact on individual Member States, as well as on the EU level, while exploring what this means for the Green movement’s endeavour in the transition to sustainability.

Debate in Belfast

“Transition to Sustainability in Europe post-Brexit” will be a one day event, consisting out of critical debates in which prominent speakers will provide insights into potential impacts of Brexit in the context of Ireland and the EU.

What are the implications and impacts of Brexit for the Green transformation of Europe? Are there progressive political potentials in the wake of the referendum decision in the UK last June and the ongoing political turmoil it has created? How should Greens and other progressives understand the rise of populism across Europe? And what are the likely impacts of Brexit for the island of Ireland?

All thematic sessions and confirmed speakers are listed below:

1. Brexit and Progressive Politics (10h – 11h)

SPEAKERS:

  • Ray Cunningham – Green House Think Tank
  • Steven Agnew – Green Party Northern Ireland
  • Stevie Nolan – Trademark
  • Chaired by John Barry – Queen’s University Belfast

2. Brexit and Sustainability in Northern Ireland, the UK and Europe (11h15 – 12h30)

SPEAKERS:

  • Emily Hunter – RSPB
  • Nichola Hughes – SNI
  • James Orr – Friends of the Earth
  • Chaired by John Barry – Queen’s University Belfast

3. Brexit, the Border and Futures for Ireland and Northern Ireland (13h30 – 15h30)

SPEAKERS:

  • Clare Bailey – Green Party Northern Ireland
  • David Phinnemore – Queen’s University Belfast
  • Mark Daly – Senator, Fianna Fáil
  • John Kyle – Progressive Unionist Party
  • Katy Hayward – Queen’s University Belfast
  • Chaired by John Barry – Queen’s University Belfast

4. Roundtable discussion on ‘Populism, Brexit and the European Green Movement’ (16h – 17h30)

SPEAKERS: 

  • Dick Pels
  • Lee McGowan – Queen’s University Belfast
  • Chaired by Ray Cunningham – Green House Think Tank

Please note that the programme is not finalised yet, more updates to come soon!

Registration

This event is free of charge and open to everyone. To confirm your attendance, please register here.

For more information please contact the Green Foundation Ireland via email to info@greenfoundationireland.ie!

Jul 24 2017
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“After Brexit?” Debate in Stockholm

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The event is a part of the ongoing transnational project “The potential impact of Brexit on the prospects for a Green transition in Europe” which attempts to support the much-needed public discussion of Brexit’s impact on individual Member States, as well as on the EU level, while exploring what this means for the Green movements’ endeavour in the transition to sustainability.

Debate

In this event, we will provide space about potentials impacts of Brexit in the Swedish and European context. The discussion will have a special focus on the areas of environmental cooperation, trade and exchange. It will feature prominent speakers engaged with the topic, such as:

  • Caroline Lucas – Party leader of the Green Party of England and Wales;
  • Max Andersson – Green MEP from Sweden;
  • Johan Kuylenstierna – Policy Director at Stockholm Environment Institute.

The debate will be moderated by Swedish politician Maria Wetterstrand.

The participation in the even is free of charge.

Jun 23 2017
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“Europe after Brexit. Will a green transition still be possible?” (Poland)

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Theme:

Brexit will have a huge impact on the UK and EU economies and on virtually every area of policy, which increases the need for public discussion of that impact and the choices that will have to be made to deal with it. Beyond that, it calls into question the coherence and effectiveness of the EU as a polity, and as a vehicle for the Green movement. Greens are committed to the belief that European countries can make the transition to sustainability more quickly as a coordinated polity (the EU) than as individual states or societies but this assumption may need to be re-examined.

The event is a part of the ongoing transnational project “The potential impact of Brexit on the prospects for a Green transition in Europe” which attempts to support the much-needed public discussion of Brexit’s impact on individual Member States, as well as on the EU level, while exploring what this means for the Green movements’ endeavour in the transition to sustainability.

This debate took place during the Green Summer Academy in Puszczykowo, Poland, organised with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni.  It featured a discussion amongst prominent politicians and experts listed below. The debate was moderated by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart (Fundacja Strefa Zielenie) and Bartłomiej Kozek (Editorial Board Green European Journal).

Speakers:

  • Video introduction by Philippe Lamberts (MEP Greens/EFA);
  • Debate with Dr Ray Cunningham (Green House Think Tank, UK), Lucile Schmid (GEF/Fondation de l’Écolgie Politique, France), Marek Kossakowski (Partia Zieloni), Kuba Gogolewski (Koalicja Rozwój TAK – odkrywki NIE).

Registration:

To register for the Summer Academy of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, please send an email to: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart at ewa.sufin@strefazieleni.org

 

Jun 06 2017
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What impact will Brexit have on the ecological transition in Europe? (Paris)

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On March 29, 2017, Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, triggered article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union and thereby activated the procedure of withdrawal from the European Union, which the country had joined in 1973.  Amongst all the controversies around Brexit, there is also the question on the impact of the UK’s withdrawal on ecological policies in Europe. Climate, energy, protection of biodiversity, agriculture and environmental standards are the range of policy fields concerned and not all domains are affected in the same way.

How will ecological policies evolve in an EU without the United Kingdom? Will Brexit change the European civil society that is mobilising on environmental issues?

The language of the event was French. Speakers were Viviane Gravey (PhD and Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast) and Claude Turmes (MEP in the Greens/EFA). Debate was facilitated by Benoit Monange, director of FEP.

 

More Information

Registration: Please sign up for the event here

Date/Time : 27 June 2017, 18:30-20:00

Venue: Maison de l’Europe,  29 Avenue de Villiers, 75017 Paris, France