The newly established Environmental Working Group is running a series of webinars in the run up to the IETM Aarhus Plenary Meeting in Aarhus, Denmark.

The IETM Environmental Working Group aims to work towards a more sustainable and green future for the performing arts and making the arts sector a leading force in environmental processes.

This second webinar tackled the relationship between the European Green Deal and the Cultural and Creative sectors. What kind of support will the European Green Deal give to artists? How can creatives implement it, and what are its shortcomings in terms of involving this sector in Europe's green transition? 

What is the relationship between the European Green Deal and the Cultural and Creative sectors, and more broadly, between environmental policy and cultural policy? How can the Cultural and Creative sectors be an effective driver in achieving the goals set out by the European Green Deal? Looking at it in another way; do Cultural and Creative sector professionals have a sufficient understanding of the European Green Deal's goals - are they feasible, and should the Cultural and creative sectors pursue them?

These were the questions that this session sought the answers for in the form of a panel discussion and Q&A.

Panelists

Eric Hervé Ponthieu is a true EU policy insider with 28-year professional experience in EU sustainable development policy- and decision-making. Currently, he is the Strategy Director of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Bologna, teaching at the Master’s course on Resource Economics and Sustainable Development. Besides various articles on environmental issues, he is the author of the book “The Climate Crisis, Democracy and Governance - Transition in Ten Steps: Action Points for Governments” (Springer, 2020), taking a practical approach to solving the climate crisis. 

Benedek Jávor is a Hungarian environmentalist who, as a Member of the European Parliament for Párbeszéd Magyarországért (Dialogue for Hungary) during 2014-2019, was active in the formation of the European Green Deal. He was the first vice-chair of the Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and was a substitute member of the Committee of  Industry, Research and Energy.  In the 2010 general elections, he won a seat in the Hungarian National Assembly and was Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee for most of his mandate. Furthermore, Benedek is a founding member of the environmental NGO Védegylet (Protect the Future!) and holds a PhD. in Biology.  He is the author of several articles and publications on environmental threats, ‘going green’, and the future of the Earth. 
 

Picture in the banner © Jay Mantri