Event: Green Growth Summit 2026: Building on Europe's strengths - A business and investment plan for a decarbonised and competitive EU, 16 March 2026

This event has already happened
Date/time:

Monday 16 March 2026

Location:

Brussels

Event: Green Growth Summit 2026: Building on Europe's strengths - A business and investment plan for a decarbonised and competitive EU, 16 March 2026

About

he Green Growth Summit, the flagship high-level event of the Green Growth Partnership, took place on 16 March 2026 in Brussels (in-person attendance only), from 12:30 to 18:00. The Summit brought together high level representatives from Member States, including Climate and Environment Ministers, the European institutions, and businesses and investors.

In the context of economic and geopolitical pressures, the EU is striving to strengthen its competitiveness and energy security. Decarbonisation is a building block to achieve this, as confirmed by the Draghi report. Businesses are already developing solutions to reduce their emissions, transition to clean energy, and produce sustainable materials for industry and consumers. In 2024, investment in the global energy transition reached a record US$2.1 trillion.

The Summit took place one day before the EU Environment Council. The discussion highlighted the business and investment case for decarbonisation, the drivers to develop this case at scale, including policy. High level speakers addressed how the EU can set a comprehensive and coherent policy framework to achieve its climate, competitiveness, and energy security objectives looking at recent and upcoming policy developments like the Clean Industrial Deal, the post-2030 policy framework, and financial instruments.

The full programme is available here.

Key takeaways available here.

The interviews are available here.

The Summit included the following sessions:

  • Scene setter from an international perspective with Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 
  • Thought starter reflections on ‘’Shaping Europe’s Clean Economy Future” with Helena Norrman, Executive Vice President and Head of Group Communications, SSAB
  • Session I: "A strong decarbonised EU - Can business and policies deliver?". The first session will address how the EU can bring together decarbonisation, competitiveness and energy security objectives.  What are the drivers, like carbon pricing, electrification and circularity? How can political developments like the Post-2030 climate and energy policies and the Clean Industrial Deal unlock business action?  
  • Session II: ‘’The investment case – How can the EU mobilise finance for a successful clean transition”. The second session will highlight the growing momentum for investing in the clean transition and address how to mobilise public finance and private capitals at scale to support business practices and models in line with this transition and the delivery of a prosperous, competitive and climate neutral Europe. Discussions will connect financing opportunities and models with ongoing key policy debates, like the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework.  

Final list of speakers:

  • Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 
  • Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Minister of Climate & Environment, Norway
  • Aira Paliukėnaitė, Vice‑Minister of the Environment, Lithuania
  • Uroš Vajgl, State Secretary for Environmental and Climate Policy, Slovenia
  • Philip Nugent, Director-General for International and EU Affairs (Climate, Energy and Environment), Ireland
  • Thomas Schoos, Director-General for International, European and Internal Affairs - Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Luxembourg
  • Elina Bardram, Director for Climate Resilience and Information Management, DG CLIMA, European Commission
  • Jacek Truszczynski, Head of Unit responsible for Net Zero Industries, DG GROW, European Commission
  • Helena Norrman, Executive Vice President and Head of Group Communications, SSAB
  • Carine de Boissezon, Chief Impact Officer, EDF
  • Alice Steenland, Chief Strategy, Sustainability & Marketing, Signify
  • Ramón Arratia, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ball Corporation
  • Sofie Eliasson Morsink, Vice-President Stakeholder Relations, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
  • Peter van der Werf, Head of Active Ownership, Robeco
  • Andrew Prag, Managing Director for Policy, We Mean Business Coalition
  • Ursula Woodburn, Director, CLG Europe, Green Growth Partnership

The event was moderated by Jacki Davis.

The Summit is organised with the support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature conservation and Nuclear Safety and the Ministry of Climate and the Environment of Norway. 

The Green Growth Partnership (GGP) is a joint initiative between members of CLG Europe and ministers of the Green Growth Group (GGG). The GGP has been convened by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) for a decade.

Contacts:

Press contact: