On my first day interning at IEEP in June, I arrived to the exciting news that the Council of the European Union had just that morning voted to adopt the Nature Restoration Law, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at restoring 20% of the EU’s land and sea ecosystems by 2030. The energy was infectious as the office celebrated this major milestone in EU environmental policy, and I instantly knew that I was surrounded by colleagues who shared my passions for biodiversity conservation and sustainability and who could offer incredible insight into environmental governance.  

Currently, I am going into my third year as a student at Stanford University pursuing a B.S. in Earth Systems with an emphasis on Conservation and Ecology and an M.A. in Communication, in the future I hope to apply my interests in journalism and media production towards promoting wildlife conservation and sustainable agriculture. When I learned about the IEEP’s work advancing EU sustainability through research and policy recommendations, I was eager to get involved and learn more about the intersection of legislation and environmentalism in a new cultural and political context, so I am so grateful that IEEP collaborated with The Europe Center at Stanford to offer this experience. 

I grew up just outside of San Francisco; compared to the rest of the United States, California’s environmental policy is fairly progressive, so I often consider my state’s environmental legislation to be advanced. However, hearing about the EU’s agriculture initiatives, emissions reduction targets, habitat restoration projects, and more has left me feeling inspired by European administrations’ commitment to truly achieving a sustainable future and shown me what potential exists for eco-conscious leadership, an example I hope that politicians at home can replicate in our legislative frameworks. I have been similarly impressed by the care that the Brussels community shows for the environment and the way that sustainability is seamlessly integrated into the lifestyle here, between the impressive waste management system, the energy-efficient appliances, and the public transit, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure.   

Additionally, as a vegan coming from Northern California, often considered the heart of the plant-based movement in the United States due to the prevalence of alternative protein innovators, I also did not know what to expect in terms of sustainable food options when arriving in Brussels. The common perception of European cuisines revolves around meat and dairy – from Italian pizza to Belgian mussels to French butter croissants, the ‘iconic’ dishes of Europe all seem to place animal products at the forefront.  

So, I have been surprised and excited to see plant-based foods and alternative proteins being widely accepted here and receiving recognition from the European Parliament and research institutions like IEEP for their sustainability and animal welfare benefits. This summer, the IEEP published a report on the environmental, health, and socioeconomic impacts of novel protein sources with financial support from the Good Food Institute Europe. Having previously worked for a mycelium-based fermented food start-up in San Francisco, directed a course at Stanford about the alternative protein industry, and collaborated with the Good Food Institute to lead the Stanford Alt. Protein Project, a club working to promote plant-based eating on campus, this report and my subsequent discussions with IEEP colleagues regarding CAP and farming have been highly relevant to my interests. It has been amazing to recognize similar perspectives on animal agriculture and emerging food innovations and be able to discuss ideas for the future of sustainable food with researchers and experts from a variety of cultural backgrounds.  

Working with the Networks and Governance and Communications teams at IEEP allowed me to jump into a wide range of projects and gain an inside look into the organizational work of managing a think tank and promoting research findings to a broader audience. The main reason that I am studying Communication in addition to Earth Systems in college is because I believe that the climate crisis can only be solved through global collaboration. The creation of new environmental technologies and policies is important, but it is equally as vital for citizens to understand and accept these developments in order to truly build a sustainable society. This was especially emphasized during one of the projects that I worked on for the Networks and Governance team, which involved creating a summarized analysis of stakeholder responses to the European Commission’s recent Environmental Implementation Review, looking for common themes and differences. I was concerned to read about lack of policy enforcement hindering environmental progress in several Member States, with conflicts like the Răstolita hydropower project in Romania, a dam which will damage several water bodies and forest ecosystems and endanger local species when completed. This has caused various NGOs and citizens to call for the Commission to step in and intervene since the local water management authorities have ties to polluting industries and are violating EU habitat restoration targets. The analysis impressed upon me the importance of public buy-in and strong implementation plans, as laws are only effective when they are followed by community members. Additionally, while analyzing the viewership analytics of IEEP’s social media platforms and newsletters and learning from staff about the organisation’s reporting style, I have learned about the impact of presentation and messaging on audience engagement.  

The interdisciplinary nature of these teams has helped me connect with staff members with a variety of research focuses when reviewing policy briefs and identifying key upcoming policy deadlines, significantly broadening my knowledge across multiple topics. Contributing to the production of the Think Sustainable Europe News Digest also gave me the chance to interact with content from partnering organizations and hear more about the work of other research institutions from an array of regions and thematic areas.  

I really appreciate all of the opportunities that IEEP has offered and feel lucky that I have been able to shape my experience to pursue work most relevant to my professional interests. This internship has provided me with a better understanding of the EU political system and key European environmental laws as well as developing my general editing, research, and media production skills. Especially during this volatile time in American politics, in which the future of environmental policy is at stake in our upcoming fall elections, it has been fascinating to learn more about the recent EU Parliament elections and hear how EU citizens are responding to the economic, political, and social challenges associated with the climate crisis. I am grateful to Carla Coppola, Mattia Bonfanti, and the rest of the Networks and Governance and Communications teams for all of their support and guidance during this experience.

IEEP strongly believes in supporting the policymakers and environmental experts of tomorrow. As part of our educational mandate, IEEP is happy to host students in partnership with their Universities as part of their programmes. If you would like to find out more, contact us at brussels@ieep.eu