The Future of the European Green Deal
The Complutense University of Madrid | 4 – 7 February 2025
The European Green Deal, launched in 2019, is the European Union’s ambitious plan to transform its economy for a sustainable future. Its primary goal has been to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050, effectively eliminating net greenhouse gas emissions and encompassing various sectors: energy, transport, agriculture, housing, and industry.
The EU has made progress in several areas, setting binding targets for reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The “Fit for 55” package, introduced in 2021, outlined specific policies to achieve these goals, including reforms to the Emissions Trading System, increased renewable energy targets, and stricter CO2 emission standards for vehicles.
The implementation of the Green Deal now faces several challenges, however, in light of recent changes to the composition of the European Parliament in particular. Some member states, particularly those heavily reliant on fossil fuels, have expressed concerns about the pace and scale of proposed changes. Others worry about maintaining economic competitiveness, especially in energy-intensive industries, if other global economies do not adopt similarly ambitious climate policies.
Aligning various EU and national policies across different sectors remains a complex challenge, and global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, seem certain to impact the implementation timeline and priorities negatively. Ensuring a “just transition” that does not disproportionately affect vulnerable communities or exacerbate existing inequalities has also been identified by the EU institutions as crucial.
We invite applications from master’s and doctoral candidates at Europaeum member universities who wish to join the discussions and/or to present a 15-minute paper based on their research. We especially welcome proposals for papers engaging the following fields:
- Clean Energy Transitions
- Sustainable Industry and the Circular Economy
- Building and Renovating for Energy Efficiency
- Sustainable Mobility
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration
- Farm to Fork Strategy
- Financing the Green Transition
- A Just Transition, Re-skilling and Social Equity
Participants will join lively discussions during the event and hear from experts from the Complutense University and beyond. Those not presenting a paper will be allocated a role as discussant or chair to kick-start Q&A sessions following on from presentations. Successful applicants will be provided with free accommodation and reimbursed reasonable travel expenses.
Applications should include the Europaeum application form, a brief CV, a statement of purpose (up to 500 words), and a reference letter from their supervisor or academic advisor. Those who wish to submit a paper should also add a short abstract of the proposed paper (up to 500 words).
Please see our guidance for applicants and should you decide to apply, please download an application form, complete and return it to applications@europaeum.org. For more information about how to apply and about taking part in our events, please see our core activities’ webpage.
Deadline for submission of applications and abstracts: 15 November 2024.
All submissions should be sent to applications@europaeum.org.
