Europe’s green transition: securing the material base
To scale up, the EU needs clear pathways for clean-energy supply chains in mining and manufacturing.
Society
Social Europe is an award-winning digital media publisher driven by the core values of freedom, sustainability, and equality. These principles guide our exploration of society’s most pressing challenges. This archive page curates Social Europe articles focused on societal issues, offering a rich resource for innovative thinking and informed debate.
The fertiliser conundrum
Making the global food system more sustainable and equitable is hugely complex and involves difficult trade-offs.
European Parliament on AI Act: still rights gaps to fill
The parliament has stood firm against mass surveillance but has missed the opportunity to enhance provisions.
The dam has burst: making ecocide a crime
Russia’s war on Ukraine creates momentum for a breakthrough in adopting ecocide as an international crime.
Gloves off: aggression towards frontline workers
Frontline staff are facing rising aggression. Employers need to reduce risks and provide support.
The circular economy: a geometry lesson
Equating circularity with narrowing and slowing lets virtually all businesses join the bandwagon.
Central and eastern Europe: a renewable-energy win-win
CEE countries have large wind and solar potential. Greening power supplies would also reduce prices.
Tackling inequality in the city—Cape Town
Today’s global cities are characterised by high inequality. They need supportive multi-level governance to address it.
How green Europeans can cure Earth’s climate blues
The EU needs to redouble efforts to build coalitions and form alliances with key states—especially in the global south.
Decarbonising the built environment: circularity key
The World Circular Economy Forum meets today in Helsinki—construction is one of the biggest challenges.
Europe’s just transition—still out of reach
If it holds on to ‘green growth’ and tight fiscal constraints, the EU will be unable to negotiate a just transition.
Cities harnessing innovation for the circular economy
Cities have the agility to lead the transition to circularity and already have a body of good practice to show.
When life gives you lemons, make anti-poverty strategies
As the Porto Social Forum convenes, two years on from the Social Summit there, it’s time to upgrade the EU social agenda.
Landmark European ruling on LGBT+ rights
European same-sex couples have a right to civil unions, Romania and Russia have recently discovered.
‘Carbon colonialism’: Europe’s global footprint
Without a global awareness, Europe’s transition to ‘net zero’ will be a zero-sum game.
EU funds need stronger social conditionality
Claes-Mikael Ståhl, Judith Kirton-Darling, Jan Willem Goudriaan, Kristjan Bragason and Oliver Roethig
The rules for allocation of EU funds should be more transparent and provide a meaningful role for the social partners.