The Fight for a Pollution-Free Planet
Pollution is a major problem for our health. There have been efforts made to tackle it on various fronts: new forms of urban transport, clean energy, responsible consumption… but is it enough? What’s left to be done? What opportunities can be grabbed to make sure everyone has a clean environment?
Gender Equality: a Must-Have for Economic Growth
Beyond a huge social issue, gender inequality is a massive economic challenge. According to the EU, improving gender equality would increase the EU’s GDP per capita by 6.1 to 9.6%, create an additional 10.5 million jobs by 2050, and improve staff retention, access to talent, or opportunities for innovation. So how can we help close the gender gap and enable this economic growth?
Safe Food and Water for All
According to the World Health Organization, 1.1 billion people worldwide don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. This naturally leads to major health concerns around food, too. To solve this problem, we need the input of experts from across different industries and sectors. Beyond the social and health benefits, what’s the positive economic and environmental impact of ensuring safe food and water for all?
Augusto López-Claros | Keynote Session | Lessons from COVID-19 and the Future of the SDGs
COVID-19 has been the most intense economic crisis since the Great Depression. It has reversed many of the development gains of the past 3 decades, including in the fight against extreme poverty. What are the lessons learned and why is it vitally important to build upon them to create a more sustainable, equitable world, with opportunity for all? And what are the likely costs of inaction as we confront global risks on multiple fronts?
Why Corporate Innovation Needs Transformation
Innovation needs transformation. Before taking action, however, we need to improve skills and alter processes to create change of real value. How can technological innovation be made to serve sustainable development? What are the best practices and sustainable developments at the service of the 2030 Agenda?
Laia Bonet | Inspirational Talk | New Economic 2030 Agenda through Innovation
Barcelona is building up an economic strategy for the next decade based on innovation to achieve the SDG Goals and to make the city able to adapt to challenges such as the ecological and digital transitions which have been speeded up by the pandemic.
Flagship Projects for NextGenerationEU Programme
European funds provide administrations with an exceptional opportunity to carry out projects that would not usually fit their budget. As such, the pandemic opens doors to structural changes with a lasting impact for the future. What are the most unique projects out there? Which are the most innovative, with the greatest impact and capacity to transform society? We’re looking for the initiatives that ensure the pandemic’s legacy is a prosperous future.
The Recovery Plan for a Green & Digital Europe
We need more than a recovery plan: we need to grab this once in a lifetime chance to emerge stronger from the pandemic, transform our economies, create opportunities and jobs for the Europe where we want to live. With the vision, the plan, and an agreed investment of 750 billion euros, we have everything we need to make it happen. It’s now time to get to work and make Europe greener, more digital and more resilient.
Giorgio Busnelli | Inspirational Talk | The Climate Pledge & Amazon
Amazon and Global Optimism joined forces in 2019 to launch The Climate Pledge, an initiative aimed at bringing together companies from all over the world to be net zero carbon across their business by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement. Today, more than 100 companies are committed to implement decarbonization strategies by investing in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and nature-based solutions. Innovation is powering sustainability.
Sustainability Meets Profitability
These days, sustainable practices aren’t just the icing on the cake: they’re a recipe for growth and profit, letting companies mitigate risks, lower costs, and shape future markets matching consumers’ beliefs. So, how can business leaders hit the right balance between what they need in the short-term and what’s best in the long-term? Is there a winning formula for combining profitability with sustainability?