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For decades, the social and economic role of cities has steadily increased. Cities are financial hubs, accounting for at least 70% of the world’s GDP, while also being responsible for 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Over the last few years, their political ambition —on both the national and international level – has also grown. Cities have been hailed as our best hope to save democracy in the 21st century and as laboratories to rethink the EU as a bottom-up network of functional cooperation, with them at its centre. They command the trust of Europeans better than national governments do, but increasingly display political preferences at odds with those of rural areas, often supporting liberal, progressive, and green forces.

How can cities contribute to solving the many challenges our societies face, starting with climate change? Should they have a more prominent role in EU institutions and policies, and how can they achieve it? How can the growing political gap between urban and rural areas be bridged and what is the role of centre-right parties? To mark the publication of its new policy brief by Konrad Niklewicz, the Martens Centre has the pleasure to invite you to a public discussion among two successful centre-right mayors of important European capital cities.

Federico Ottavio Reho Rafał Trzaskowski Environment Greece Green Deal Technology

‘The Art of the Green Deal’ with CDA Research Institute (The Netherlands)

Discussants:

– Eva Palacková, Senior Political Adviser, EPP

– Hans von Storch, Researcher, Institute of Coastal Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht

– Arjen Siegmann, Associate Professor of Finance, Vrije Universitet of Amsterdam and Economist, CDA Research Institute – Moderator

Eva Palacková Arjen Siegmann Environment Green Deal

There is a growing disparity between new and old European member states when it comes to tackling climate change and transitioning to a more sustainable economy. Large scale public and private funding, coupled with lower capital costs for financing clean energy technology, means that most of the investments and supply chains are being concentrated in the bigger Western economies. At the same time, Central and Eastern European countries (CEE) experience some of the biggest economic losses from climate-­related extremes.

The Martens Centre webinar aims to address these divisions in light of the implementation of the European Green Deal and the long-­term goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. How can CEE and Baltic economies make an ambitious effort toward a more sustainable economy without risking heavy job losses in specific economic sectors? Is the current design of the European Green Deal suitable in a post-­pandemic Europe? How can EPP-­affiliated parties in Europe introduce sensible climate policies and attract additional voters who are concerned about the environment but do not see green parties as a viable political alternative?

Rafał Trzaskowski Dimitar Lilkov Environment Green Deal