About the 2018 conference

The first Think2030 conference took place in Brussels on 17-18 October 2018. In the build-up to the 2019 European Elections, the conference was followed by two side events in France and Sweden, a presentation in Germany, and a discussion panel during the European Green Week 2019.

The first Think2030 Conference was organised by IEEP and Globe EU with the aim of providing decision-makers with relevant policy recommendations on a range of sustainability issues ahead of the 2019 elections, and to inform a science-based agenda for European environmental policy beyond 2020. More than 100 people attended the conference in Brussels on 17 and 18 October.

At the core of the first Think2030 conference were 13 policy papers, combining science-based analysis with policy research to inform the debate and formulate policy recommendations for long term political action with a 2030 perspective. The final outcome was the publication of the first Think2030 synthesis paper, 30×30 Actions for a Sustainable Europe.

The first day of the conference saw a succession of 13 breakout sessions, each one dedicated to roundtable discussions between various stakeholders around one of the policy papers.

The second part of the conference, on 18 October, was held in the European Parliament in Brussels, and brought together the Think2030 sustainability experts and Members of the Parliament and the European Commission to discuss the main findings and recommendations of the platform on strengthening EU governance for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Paris, France

The Think2030 conference was followed up by an event organised in Sciences Po, Paris, which welcomed over 200 people. Six parties were represented in the panel of French candidates (La République en marche, Les Républicains, Place Publique-Nouvelle Donne-Parti Socialiste, La France Insoumise, Debout la France, Europe Ecologie les Verts). The urgency to take the necessary actions to face climate change, the role of innovation, biodiversity loss, CAP, pesticides and many more issues were discussed. Candidates also discussed what the future Parliament would look like. This first session was followed by a debriefing session with Céline Charveriat, Sébastien Treyer, Charlotte Halpern from the CEE, and students from Sciences Po, where Think 2030 recommendations were discussed, particularly on sustainable consumption.

Stockholm, Sweden

IEEP, IVL, Mistra and SEI co-organised an event in Stockholm at the Europa House with MEP candidates from different parties. The event started with a first session with three policy experts presenting research and recommendations on key issues such as circular economy, consumption and plastics.
The second part was a discussion with a panel of Swedish candidates to the EU elections, representing 7 different parties (Socialdemokraterna, Kristdemokraterna, Centerpartiet, Feministiskt initiativ, Miljöpartiet, Liberalerna, Vänsterpartiet). Climate change was seen as the top priority by the candidates. Ecodesign, consumption-based emissions and just transition were also discussed by the candidates.

Berlin, Germany

Alexander Müller, Executive Director of TMG, presented the key recommendations laid down in the Think2030 papers at an event organized by the German Nature conservation (Deutsche Naturschutzring – DNR), “#natürlichEuropa – Meine Stimme für Europas Zukunft” in April 2019 in Berlin.
With the European elections taking place in May 2019, it appeared crucial to hold discussions and debates in Germany, as the country had a key role to play in the European sustainability agenda, and even more so in the context of Brexit. The recent publication of the Think2030 synthesis paper was seen as an opportunity to present and discuss some of the key recommendations from the conference, and to provide objective and evidence-based information to the public on how the German political parties would approach sustainability in the upcoming elections.

2018 publications

Synthesis paper

The first Think2030 synthesis paper – 30X30 Actions for a sustainable Europe – is based on a series of papers covering all major environmental challenges and maps out what changes in European policies could help European citizens to live prosperous, peaceful and healthy lives by 2050, while sustaining the 80% reduction in per capita resource use. The report was updated after further stakeholder consultation at the conference on 17 and 18 October 2018 in Brussels.

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About the 2018 conference

Paris, France

Stockholm, Sweden

Berlin, Germany

2018 publications

Synthesis paper

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Prosperity

wellbeing

Nature

Peace and Security

Governance 2030

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