The European Green Deal is the new EU growth strategy launched by the European Commission with the objective of transforming the European Union into a fair and sustainable society with a competitive and green economy where there are net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. This EU strategy includes a roadmap to accelerate the green transition in Europe and to address a large number of economic, environmental and social challenges; such as global warming, biodiversity loss, food security, secured energy, sustainable mobility, carbon-free societies, etc. Moreover, the European Green Deal is an integral part of the European Commission’s strategy to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims at putting sustainability and the well-being of citizens at the centre of the economic policy while at the same time places the Sustainable Development Goals at the heart of the EU’s policymaking. 

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has endangered the implementation of the European Green Deal and the development of regional and national strategies in line with it. For instance, the European Member States are falling behind when it comes to the development and establishment of National Energy and Climate Plans, and this has only been worsened by the pandemic crisis. European regions and cities have been at the forefront of the outbreak, changing their priorities and putting all their efforts to protect the health and well-being of their citizens.

Nevertheless, and as the President of the European Commission reminded: “The European Green Deal should become our compass to turn the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity to rebuild our economies and make them more resilient; the European Green Deal should be the motor for the recovery”. As a matter of fact, the global pandemic should not be seen as a contradiction with the European Green Deal, on the contrary, the COVID-19 crisis could offer an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of it providing the best framework to construct a pathway towards recovery and strengthening resilience; a path for a social, just and fair transition that leaves no region and no one behind. 

On 14 September, the AER series on European Green Deal launched in collaboration with the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development of the Catalan Government (CADS) will celebrate its first webinar: The EU Green Deal: Challenges and opportunities for EU regions in times of COVID-19. During this online session, it will be discussed the key role that the European Green Deal and its Just Transition Mechanism will play in regions and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its implementation. On this occasion, the panellists will reflect on the relevance of this European growth strategy concerning building more resilience and economic recovery to tackle the consequences that will be confronted by European regions in a post-COVID-19 era. 

This panel debate will bring together representatives from the European Commission, as well as representatives from regional authorities and think tanks to address some of these questions:

• How the COVID-19 pandemic can accelerate the European green transition?
• How the European Green Deal can build more resilience and boost economic recovery from this crisis in European regions? 

Check the events page for further information and registration!