It’s getting hot in here! How can we drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the EU, and eradicate poverty?

The Covid-19 crisis has only enhanced the social crises: decreasing wages, increased inequalities and union busting.

Contrary to public belief, the Covid-19 induced economic crisis is not an exogenous crisis to our economic system. Covid19 is a deeply endogenous crisis of our world capitalistic system. It has exposed the failures of underfinanced social and health systems that are the result of decades of austerity policies and privatisation. Zoonotic viruses that “jump” from animals to humans are increasing due to the destruction of the last areas of wilderness. Houses, streets, agricultural areas, all are invading formerly untouched nature.

Our current system exploits both: people and nature. Only a radical change in the human-nature metabolism can stop the ongoing climate catastrophe. Only a radical change in the social and economic policy can stop the wave of poverty we are facing. We thus need to solve both: the climate and the social crisis in one stroke.

Hence, the climate crisis and the necessity to exist inside the planetary boundaries are the main challenge of the current generations. What is equally clear is that workers and common citizens must be in the centre of the necessary socio-ecological transformation. We have to build a much better economy now.

We need to act now, and indeed: we have started to transform our economies. The European Commission has presented its Green Deal on 11th December 2019 and currently the EU is negotiating the historic ‘Recovery Plan’. The member states have also reacted to the immediate Covid19 induced economic crisis as well as to the long-term climate crisis.

Objective of the seminar

In our common seminar, we want to share our analysis of the Covid-19 and climate crisis and discuss possible solutions and propose alternative ways forward. We want to continue our dialog on our understanding of the necessary socio-ecological transformation of our societies.

We are looking forward to discussing with you.

Please feel free to share this invitation with your peers, colleagues, friends and family!

Speakers

Host

Marga Ferré, Co-President transform! europe

Speakers for the Green European Foundation, GEF

Political introduction:
Aurélie Maréchal, Political Director GEF

Speaker:
Councillor Jonathan Essex, Green House Think Tank, United Kingdom

Speakers for the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, FEPS

Political introduction:
Uwe Optenhögel, Vice-President FEPS

Speaker:
Saïd El Khadraoui, Special Adviser FEPS, Belgium

Speakers for transform! europe

Political introduction:
Cornelia Hildebrandt, Co-President transform! europe

Speaker:
Manuela Kropp, Project Manager Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Brussels