Events

2022 EUDA Annual Conference at Sofitel Brussels Europe“The European Green Deal: How to deliver on the environment, the society and the economy?”

Some global environmental challenges, such as climate change and environmental degradation are posing existential threats to both Europe and the world. In response to this situation, the EU has made it its top priority to address the most pressing environmental challenges: climate change (reduce greenhouse gases emissions and boost climate change adaptation), unsustainable use of resources (biological, energy, water, spatial), continuous increase of pollution (reduce it in the air, water and soils) and waste (further apply circular economy principles). The EU aims at rebalancing the environmental pillar out of the three sustainability pillars by integrating coordinated political and legislative initiatives under the flagship umbrella of the EU Green Deal. The Green Deal, with amongst other its Green Taxonomy Regulation, Strategy on Adaptation to Climate and Sustainable Procurement Strategy, has the potential to become a global ‘game changer’.

If properly implemented, the Green Deal is a potential global ‘game changer’. Therefore, the EU has also integrated these objectives into its new growth strategy to incentivise the acceleration of a sound transition towards sustainability. This transition will help the European economic activities to tackle their negative externalities on the environment. To be successful, this transition should at the same time provide the European sustainability champions with major opportunities to grow. The most potent incentives are financial and the EU is currently developing the Green Taxonomy Regulation, that will allow financing flows to better target and stimulate ‘green’ economic activities in the EU but also around the world. Under the Green Deal, the EU has developed and is implementing amongst others a Strategy on Adaptation to Climate and a Sustainable Procurement Strategy.

These initiatives create a powerful supply ‘push’ on the financing side of the European economy, ideally complemented for even more effectiveness with an equally powerful demand ‘pull’ that would align the policy objectives under the Green Deal.

Representatives from the European Society, the European Commission and the European Industry will exchange their views and share their respective strategies on how implementing the Green Deal can deliver results for the environment, for society and for the economy. The floor will also be opened for discussions with the audience.

Programme Overview:

09:30 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 12:00 Conference
12:00 – 12:30 Cocktail
12:30 – 13:30 Networking Luncheon
14:00 – 16:00 EuDA Annual General Meeting (for Members only)

Conference Overview:

Moderation:

• Mr Paris Sansoglou
European Dredging Association
Secretary General

Speakers:

• Ms Julie Emmrich Presentation
World Green Building Council, Sustainable Finance Lead
Green Taxonomy within the EU Green Deal

• Ms Elena Visnar Malinovska Presentation
European Commission, DG CLIMA, Head of Unit for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change
EU strategy on adaptation to climate change (with a focus on waterborne infrastructures) within the EU Green Deal

• Ms Anna Lupi Presentation
European Commission, DG GROW, Legal & Policy Officer on Sustainable Public Procurement Strategy
European Commission’s Sustainable Procurement Strategy for (waterborne) transport infrastructures within the EU Green Deal

• Ms Karin De Schepper Presentation
Inland Navigation Europe – INE, Secretary General
How can the waterborne infrastructure sector deliver results for the Green Deal (for the environment, for society and for the economy) ?

View the Conference Messages and the Conference Programme in detail.