The European Commission has put forward a highly ambitious new Trade and Sustainable Development Action Plan, but how far does it go to deliver sustainability in free trade agreements?
International trade is a key enabler of a global and inclusive transition to a circular economy. However, inequities in power relations, digital trade capabilities, trade infrastructure, access to finance, and industrial and innovation capabilities mean that countries in the Global North are better positioned to reap the benefits of international trade than those in the Global South.
The circular economy involves a major paradigm shift, with economies transitioning away from a take-make-waste model to a sustainable model. In order to facilitate a just transition to a global circular economy the EU must seek to cooperate with its trade partners.
The Think2030 conference is back for its third edition! This in-person event, co-organised by IEEP and IDDRI, will centre the discussion on European Green Deal implementation by 2024 and beyond.
Building a more circular economy is key to sustainable growth and addressing challenges like climate change. Trade relations in particular are a crucial vessel to foster circular economy opportunities and support sustainable development in the global south.
The associations between the state of the environment and human health are profound and well-documented. However, it is clear from a number of studies that access to green spaces is not equitable.
Building a more circular economy is key to sustainable growth and addressing challenges like climate change. The uptake of the circular economy is increasing worldwide, and cooperation on an international level is key to unlocking the benefits of scale tied to a global circular economy.
The long-delayed 6th summit between the African Union and the European Union concluded with a statement on a joint vision for "a renewed Partnership for solidarity, security, peace and sustainable and sustained economic development and prosperity for our citizens and for our future generations”. Here is IEEP's take on the main issues addressed.
The third edition of the flagship Europe Sustainable Development Report tracks the performance of the EU, its Member States, and other European countries on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
This blog post reflects on the year in sustainable finance together with colleagues of Think Sustainable Europe, the pan-European Network of sustainability think tanks coordinated by IEEP.
This online discussion forum, managed by IEEP with the support of the Institute of Research for Ecological Economy, will gather digital and environmental Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to address the most burning issues related to digitalisation, sustainability and environmental justice. The online forum will run until 28 January 2022.
The 26th edition of the United Nations Climate Change Conference ended in Glasgow on 13 November. In the fallout of the negotiations, Michael Nicholson, Head of UK Environmental Policy at IEEP, gathered experts from two member organisations of IEEP’s Think Sustainable Europe network to try and give an overview of what COP26 meant for global action against climate change.
This event explores the interlinkages between trade policies and circular economy concepts by providing insights on specific sectors, opportunities, and challenges for developing and transition economies through concrete examples.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) proposal, as it currently stands, is legally sound but requires to be improved through a more rapid phase-out of free allowances and the mobilisation of revenues for climate justice.
The European Green Deal, followed by the Trade Policy Review, highlights the EU’s commitments to ‘greening’ the Union’s trade and trade policy, including a promise to improve the mainstreaming of social and environmental sustainability concerns in EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). However, despite years of promising rhetoric, EU trade is not yet making a positive contribution to sustainable development.
This online event, co-organised by IEEP and TMG Research gGmbH, will look at the potential and trade-offs of digitalisation as an accelerator for food security in the context of the Africa-EU cooperation.
The carbon footprints of the richest 1 per cent of people on Earth is set to be 30 times greater than the level compatible with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement in 2030, according to this new briefing.
IEEP has submitted feedback to the European Commission's public consultation on the review of the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) Chapter action plan.
European soils are under great threat, an issue which the research and innovation-based Horizon Europe Mission on soil is aiming to address. IEEP welcomes the mission and R&I efforts for rapid and combined efforts.
This policy report explores systems thinking and essential actions around food system resilience in EU agriculture in the post-COVID-19 period. In preparation for the Farm to Fork conference, systems thinking is essential and action is required now.