Earth Overshoot Day 2020: European Launch Event

17 August 2020 –

The Club of Rome & Global Footprint Network look forward to hosting a (virtual) European launch event on the occasion of Earth Overshoot Day – Register here.

About this Event

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. COVID-19 has caused humanity’s Ecological Footprint to contract, pushing the date of Earth Overshoot Day back more than three weeks compared to last year. The challenge of relaunching our economies presents countries with a unique chance to act on the future we want. On 20 August 2020 at 9:00 am CEST, the audience may join The Club of Rome and Global Footprint Network for an engaging online session streamed live on YouTube.

This public event will combine live engagement with video messages from ‘green champions’ throughout Europe and will bring to life what it means in practice to ‘build back better’ post-COVID. Mathis Wackernagel (President of the Global Footprint Network) will kick off the Earth Overshoot Day campaign in Europe ahead of the global Earth Overshoot Day, which falls on Saturday 22 August this year.

On this occasion, The Club of Rome and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) will present an updated Planetary Emergency Plan, making the case that the pandemic has highlighted our fragility and the profound links between disease, nature, climate and emissions, equity and justice, the finance sector and food systems.

Programme

European Launch Earth Overshoot Day (9:00h am CEST):

  • Mathis Wackernagel, President of the Global Footprint Network

Screen global Earth Overshoot Day messages

Presentation Planetary Emergency Plan 2.0:

  • Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of The Club of Rome
  • Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

High Level Reflections – Planetary Emergency Plan in Practice:

  • Minister Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of Government and Minister of Ecological Transition of Spain: working towards a green transition and recovery for Spain
  • Marieke van Doorninck, Deputy-Mayor of Amsterdam: implementing Doughnut Economics in Amsterdam
  • Terry A’Hearn, CEO of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency: towards COP26 in Glasgow and a successful Decade of Action
  • Frank Niederländer, Member of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt Board
  • Adélaïde Charlier, Co-Founder Youth for Climate Belgium & Maria-Claire Graf, Vice-President of Swiss Youth for Climate: the role of youth in pushing back the date and ensuring a sustainable future for all
  • Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation.

Q&A (9:45-10:00h am CEST)

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