Dec 14 2023
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The Challenges of Metropolitan Sustainable Mobility

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About the event

Sustainable mobility is a particular priority in metropolitan areas because of its impact on air quality, on the daily lives of millions of people and economic actors, and as an instrument of territorial cohesion. Public transport, cycling and walking are at the heart of a model that guarantees the right to sustainable mobility.

The Barcelona metropolitan area, with its population exceeding 3.5 million inhabitants, is a paradigmatic case in this debate, as it is an area that risks being sanctioned by the EU due to its poor air quality.

Within this context, what are the examples of good and bad practices of mobility? What are the challenges that lie ahead? Can we find successful sustainable urban mobility practices in other European cities?

These questions and possible answers will be the subject of this dynamic debate, bringing together diverse experts, academics, and local government actors.

 

Project background

This event is part of a series of debates entitled “Europe on the Move: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Mobility in the Iberian Peninsula” organised by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Transición Verde, Instituto José Tengarrinha, Fundació Nous Horitzons, EcoPolítica and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

This series of debates aims to foster debate in Portugal and Spain around the future of mobility, bringing together relevant stakeholders from civil society, academia and politics to analyse and explore challenges and opportunities for the future of mobility and the Green Deal in Europe.

 

Speakers

  • Guille Lopez, Barcelona City Councillor and Promoter of the Eixample Breathe platform
  • Carme Miralles, Professor of Urban Geography at the UAB
  • Laura Campos, Montcada I Reixac City Councillor
  • Zeeger Ernsting, Amsterdam City Councillor

 

Practicalities

Date and Time: 14th December, 6:30pm CET

Location: Ateneu Barcelones, Carrer Canuda, 6

Registration: Prior registration is required – please register here.

Language:  Catalan with English simultaneous translation

Recommended reading: European Mobility Atlas

 

This event is organized by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Fundació Nous Horitzons and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

Dec 12 2023
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Moving to the Future: Reimagining Urban Mobility (Lisbon)

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About the event

The present ecological crisis impels us to seek a change in the way we move, leading to increased efforts towards the decarbonisation of mobility. A mix of new and old solutions are key to change the urban mobility panorama, namely the electrification and the expansion of public transportation networks, and the creation of walking or cycling infrastructure to make active mobility attractive and pleasant. This change can also be seen as an opportunity to improve people’s lives by decreasing commuting time, improving the air quality, reducing noise, and promoting an active lifestyle. 

In a simple sentence, there is a need to shift the cities’ focus from cars to people. To achieve this, a new mindset that prioritises public transportation is needed, or “the social ideology of the motorcar”, as the philosopher André Gorz named it back in 1973. 

Sustainable mobility must not only encompass ecological considerations, but also needs to include an intersectional approach which takes gender and accessibility dimensions into account. As such, we will also speak about gender and accessibility, and dive into how to make daily commuting in metropolitan areas more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive. 

Project background

This event is part of “Europe on the Move: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Mobility in the Iberian Peninsula” event series, which aims to nurture the debate in Portugal and Spain around the future of mobility and the Green Deal, with a particular eye for the challenges and opportunities for sustainable mobility and how they relate to Iberian realities.  

Speakers

  • Manuel Banza, EMEL 
  • Carla Castelo, Local Councillor at Oeiras 
  • Rosa Félix, Instituto Superior Técnico 
  • Philipp Cerny, Chief Executive Editor of the European Mobility Atlas 
  • More to be announced 

Practicalities

Date and Time: 12th December, 6:30pm-8:30pm GMT 

Location: Sala do Conselho, UACS, Rua Castilho 14, Lisboa 

Language: The main languages of the event will be Portuguese and English, with simultaneous interpretation provided EN<>PT.   

Registration: N/A 

Other useful info: A recording will be uploaded to the GEF Youtube channel following the event. 

Recommended reading: 

This event is organised by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Instituto José Tengarrinha and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. 

Dec 01 2023
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The metallic core of the energy transition (Porto)

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About the event

The ecological crisis needs urgent action which brings along its own challenges. One of these challenges is the increasing use of certain materials within the context of the energy transition, resulting from the need to substitute old technologies with new ones. The shift to such materials increases the demand for metals which are particularly necessary for electricity storage and conductivity. 

However, mining activities have serious impacts on the environment and local populations. Therefore, there is a tension that arises between the energy transition and the increasing demand for metals. How can we minimize the demand for metals? How should mining activities be regulated and where should they occur? How can the energy transition be fair? 

In this debate we will address these questions and look for possible solutions to make the energy transition fair. Join us!  

Project background

This event is part of “Europe on the Move: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Mobility in the Iberian Peninsula” event series, which aim to nurture the debate in Portugal and Spain around the future of mobility and the Green Deal, with a particular eye for the challenges and opportunities for sustainable mobility and how they relate to Iberian realities. 

Speakers:

  • Ana Rita Antunes, Coopérnico 
  • Artur Patuleia, E3G 
  • Diego Marín, European Environmental Bureau  

Practicalities 

Date and Time: 4th December, 6:30pm-7:45pm GMT 

Location: Avenida Fernão de Magalhães 1147, Porto  

Language:  The main language of the event will be English.   

Other useful info: In-person event with further publication of the recording online. 

Recommended readings

Metals for a Green and Digital Europe- An Agenda for Action (available in multiple languages, namely Portuguese) 

European Mobility Atlas  

This event is organised by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Instituto José Tengarrinha and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. 

Nov 27 2023
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Beyond Electrification: Social and Geopolitical Costs of Lithium

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About the event

The growing demand for electrification does not come without its own costs. Environmental, social and ethical considerations arise when taking into account the impact on local communities. To obtain the necessary resources, huge extractivist industries threaten to devastate entire regions. How can we resist them? Furthermore, electrification also poses some serious global issues. Can we move beyond our outdated electricity and mobility model without compromising social justice and the exploitation of the Global South?

This session will bring together voices and expertise from politics and civil society to expose the flaws and limitations of the current model of electrification at local, national and European levels. The aim of the event is to create a dynamic space for debate where we can explore ways to ensure a more sustainable and socially just electrified future.

 

Project background

This event is part of a series of debates entitled “Europe on the Move: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Mobility in the Iberian Peninsula” organised by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Transición Verde, Instituto José Tengarrinha, Fundació Nous Horitzons, EcoPolítica and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

This series of debates aims to foster debate in Portugal and Spain around the future of mobility, bringing together relevant stakeholders from civil society, academia and politics to analyse and explore challenges and opportunities for the future of mobility and the Green Deal in Europe.

 

Speakers

  • Catalina Abell (moderator), EcoPolitica, expert in political communication and political processes.
  • Florent Marcellesi, former-MEP. Federal Co-Spokesperson of Verdes Equo.
  • Adriana Espinosa, Amigas de la Tierra (Friends of the Earth Spain). Responsible for the Area of Natural resources and Waste. Author of the next AdT inform on “Materials for the energetic and digital transition”.
  • Catarina Scarrott, Associação Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UDCB) movement. Covas de Barroso is being targeted as a ‘sacrifice zone’ for lithium mining, and the local population, represented by the UDCB, is opposed.
  • Diego Marin, Policy Officer for Raw Materials and Resource Justice, European Environmental Bureau

 

Practicalities

Date and Time: 30th November, 6pm-7:30pm CEST

Location: Online

Language: The main languages of the event will be Spanish and English, with simultaneous interpretation provided EN<>SP.

Registration: Prior registration is required – Please register in advance here.

Recommended reading:

 

 

 

 

This debates series is organised by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of, EcoPolítica and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

Nov 24 2023
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New Mobility: Economy and Employment

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About the event

The decarbonisation of mobility is one of the great challenges of the European Union. The transformation it entails is complex and not without its difficulties, but it can be an opportunity to reactivate the economy and generate employment. The latter is a particularly relevant aspect in maintaining social stability, especially at a time when populism and the extreme right are on the rise in Europe.

In this event, we seek to analyse the challenges and opportunities of zero-emission mobility in terms of the economy and employment in Spain, paying special attention to the bicycle sector from a gender perspective.

The event is a roundtable open to all those interested in mobility, especially members of organisations and platforms working on the issue, government officials, politicians, academia, and civil society associations. Our aim is to raise awareness of the employment opportunities associated with zero-emission transport and to promote the shift towards more sustainable mobility.

The event will be held via zoom platform, requiring prior registration.

 

Project background

This event is part of a series of debates entitled “Europe on the Move: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Mobility in the Iberian Peninsula” organised by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Transición Verde, Instituto José Tengarrinha, Fundació Nous Horitzons, EcoPolítica and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

This series of debates aims to foster debate in Portugal and Spain around the future of mobility, bringing together relevant stakeholders from civil society, academia and politics to analyse and explore challenges and opportunities for the future of mobility and the Green Deal in Europe.

 

Speakers

  • Albert Vilallonga, geographer and mobility technician at ISTAS (Union Institute for Labour, Environment and Health). Author of the report on Zero-emission mobility.
  • Iria Vázquez, equity coordinator at ConBici, professor of sociology at the University of Vigo and expert in gender studies.
  • Philipp Cerny,Transport Policy Consultant. Chief Executive Editor of the EU Mobility Atlas.
  • Moderation: Pilar Calvo, board member of Transición Verde and expert in operational security and transportation

 

Practicalities

Date and Time: 11th December, 5:30pm – 7pm CET

Location: Online, via zoom.

Registration: Prior registration is required – please register here. The session will be recorded and made available on YouTube.

Language:  The main languages of the event will be Spanish.

Recommended reading: European Mobility Atlas

 

This event is organized by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Fundación Transición Verde and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

Nov 24 2023
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Far from the Center: Mobility in the Ultra-Periphery (Ponta Delgada)

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About

Mobility plays a crucial role in shaping the quality of people’s lives by influencing multiple aspects. To name a few examples, it determines which jobs people can apply to, how often they can see relatives and friends, and the amount of free time they have. It can also amplify prejudice and inequality, namely those regarding gender, race and others. The way people move has a huge impact on the environment that should always be taken into consideration.

With both wonderful but challenging geography, the Azores is a good place to discuss these problems as there is much work to be done towards sustainable mobility that works for all. Far from mainland Portugal, travelling to or from Azores is not affordable to everyone’s pockets; there are inequalities between the islands in the archipelago, with some having much better connections than others. In this debate, we seek to address the pressing issues connected to mobility in the ultra-periphery with multiple analytical and geographical lenses. We will bring together diverse perspectives to analyse the challenges and opportunities for mobility on island and in ultra-peripheral contexts, the impacts of tourism on mobility and how mobility is also a gender issue. Besides the Azorean perspective, we welcome an international panel with insights from Greece, Croatia and Spain.

 

Project background

This event is part of “Europe On the Move: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Mobility in the Iberian Peninsula”, which aims to nurture the debate in Portugal and Spain around the future of mobility and the Green Deal, with a particular eye for the challenges and opportunities for sustainable mobility and how they relate to Iberian realities.

 

Speakers

o            Filipe Roque (moderator) – Councillor of Ponta Delgada, Portugal

o            Henar Martín – Consultant of Sustainable Mobility in Canarias, Spain

o            Nikolina Rajkovic – Institute for Political Ecology, Croatia

o            Rosa Simas – Universidade dos Açores e Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

o            Theocharis Tsoutsos – Technical University of Crete, Greece

 

Programme

  • Introduction and presentation of the speakers

Filipe Roque (moderator) – Councillor of Ponta Delgada, Portugal

  • Mobility on the island: the Azorean case

Nikolina Rajkovic – Institute for Political Ecology, Croatia

  • The impact of tourism on mobility

Theocharis Tsoutsos – Technical University of Crete, Greece

  • Sustainable mobility in and between islands

Rosa Simas – Universidade dos Açores e Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

  • A gender perspective on mobility in Azores and its links with sustainability

Henar Martín – Consultant of Sustainable Mobility in Canarias, Spain

  • Mobility in the ultra-periphery, the example of Canarias and connection with sustainable mobility
  • Moderated discussion followed by Q&A

 

Practicalities

Date and Time: 25th November, 15:30pm-17:30pm GMT-1

Location: Anfiteatro VIII, Universidade dos Açores and Online (streamed on GEF Youtube).

Language:  The main languages of the event will be Portuguese and English, with simultaneous interpretation provided EN<>PT.

Registration: This is public event; no prior registration is required.

Social media event page: Longe do Centro: Mobilidade na Ultraperiferia | Facebook

Recommended reading: European Mobility Atlas

 

 

 

This event is organised by the Green European Foundation and Heinrich Böll Stiftung EU with the support of Instituto José Tengarrinha and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation