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EUROPEAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE DAY 2021

 

 

The European Green Infrastructure Day is a policy conference dedicated to exploring the state of affairs of urban green infrastructure in the European Union.

Through a series of six online panels, over 30 speakers - among industry leaders, policy experts, political representatives and EU institutions officials - will discuss how to tap into the multiple benefits of green infrastructure, focusing on their contribution to green recovery and the path towards Europe’s climate neutrality.

The event, organised by the EU Chapter of the World Green Infrastructure Network, will take place on Thursday 27 May 2021, from 09.00 to 18.15 CEST.

 

 

Programme

09.00-09.15 | Opening remarks

Manfred Koehler, President, World Green Infrastructure Network
 Eva Jensen, Head of Climate change, Energy and Transport, EU Environment Agency


09.15-10.15 | Green and blue over grey to increase urban biodiversity

Eleonora Evi, Member of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA Group)
Stefan Leiner, Head of Biodiversity unit, DG Environment, European Commission
Justine Guiny, International Biodiversity Policy Officer, Birdlife EU and Central Asia
Stephan Beerends, Director, Sempergreen

Moderator: Jure Sumi, President, Slovenian Green Infrastructure Association
 

10.30-11.45 | Turning buildings into carbon sink to drive the energy and climate transition

Jutta Paulus, Member of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA Group)
Jure Sumi, President, Slovenian Green Infrastructure Association
Aurelie Beauvais, Deputy CEO and Policy Director, Solar Power Europe
Stefan Moser, Head of Unit for Energy Efficiency, DG Energy, European Commission

Moderator: Luigi Petito, Head of Secretariat, EU Chapter - WGIN


12.00-13.00 | Financing urban green infrastructure

Stefanie Lindenberg, Coordinator Natural Capital Finance, EU Investment Bank
Peter Berkowitz, Head of Unit for Smart and Sustainable Growth, EU Commission
Isabel Schrems, Research Associate, Green Budget Germany (tbc)
Filipe Araújo, Deputy Mayor of Porto & Chair, Environment Forum, Eurocities

Moderator: Paulo Palha, President, Portuguese Association for Green Roofs

 
LUNCH BREAK
14.00-15.30 | What’s up in Europe? News and views from across the EU

Marta Weber-Siwirska, President, Polskie Stowarzyszenie "Dachy Zielone" (PL)
David Brasfield, Chairperson, Norwegian Association for Green Infrastructure
Julian Briz, President, ProNatur (ES)
Fiona Wolff, Project Manager, Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V. (DE)
Paulo Palha, President, Associação Nacional de Coberturas Verdes (PT)
Sophie Rousset-Rouvière, Chief Delegate, Adivet (FR)

Moderator: Dusty Gedge, President, EFB
 

15.45-16.45 | Green infrastructure for climate adaptation: how to improve cities’ resilience by restoring the natural water cycle

Veronica Manfredi, Director for Quality of Life, DG Environment, EU Commission
Sirpa Pietikainen, Member of the European Parliament (EPP Group)
Jan Willem Goossen, DG Climate Action, EU Commission (tbc)
Uwe Harzmann, Managing Director, Optigruen

Moderator: Steven Peck, President, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

 
 17.00-18.00 | Let’s design human-centered, healthy and sustainable cities

Xavier Troussard, Head of the New European Bauhaus team, EU Commission
Karlis Goldstein, Adviser, EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson (tbc)
Stefano Boeri, Founding Partner, Studio Boeri Architetti
Rhiannon Corcoran, Prof. of Psychology & Public Mental Health, Liverpool University

Moderator: David Brasfield, Chairperson, Norwegian Association for Green Infrastructure


18.00-18.15 | Conclusions

Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries
Manfred Koehler, President, World Green Infrastructure Network