Roundtable: The EU Green Deal’s impact on equality. Exploring the role and potential of Equality Bodies

This roundtable took place online on 26 September from 10:00 to 12:45 CET. It was aimed at staff members of Equality Bodies and relevant EU stakeholders and policy-makers.

Background

This roundtable discussion presented the findings of the Equinet commissioned research: “Preliminary assessment of the EU Green Deal’s impact on equality. Survey of current practices and needs of European Equality Bodies”.

The research aims at developing an equality assessment of the European Green Deal to examine how this policy and legal package affects and takes into account the needs and realities of various discriminated groups, including women and racialised people, but also persons with disabilities, younger and older persons, religious minorities and LGBTIQ persons. Moreover, this assessment aims at highlighting the “hidden” equality aspects of some key policy fields such as energy, circular economy, fisheries, and land use. 

The research also aims at better defining the role and potential of Equality Bodies regarding climate action, policies and legislation.  Indeed, Equality Bodies engage on issues that are directly linked to climate change and its consequences, such as access to housing and resources, accessibility of transport, health inequalities, socio-economic inequalities, etc. However, they might not envisage and conceive that the work they deliver directly falls within the framework of climate change and environment laws and policies. Re-defining the issue of climate change through the lens of equality could help better identify the current actions taken by Equality Bodies in this field, while accurately assessing their potential to protect discriminated groups and promote equal and fair climate policies.

Objective

By presenting the findings of the Equinet research on climate change and Equality Bodies, this roundtable aimed at informing Equality Bodies about their role and potential regarding climate change policies so that they are able to define a set of actions to efficiently intervene in this innovative field.  

Agenda

10:00 – 10:10: Welcome remarks  – Tamás Kádár, Equinet Co-Director (Operations, Policy and Legal)

10:10 – 10:25: The EU Green Deal – Babs Verhoeve, Climate Law and Policy Expert

This session is aimed to give a brief, but informative, overview of the EU Green Deal, its origins, its strategic objectives, and its implementation.

10:25 – 10:45: Presentation of the Research Paper: Preliminary assessment of the EU Green Deal’s impact on equality. Survey of current practices and needs of European Equality Bodies -Siel Hoornaert and Katrien van der Heyden, Authors of the Research Paper

In this session, the authors will present the research paper commissioned by Equinet, from its starting points to the results of the surveys and its concluding remarks.

10:45 – 11:00: Q&A

11:00 – 11:15: Presentation: The role of Equality Bodies in Europe. Best practices in their work on climate justice

This session is aimed to present good practices and relevant examples of the work of one or more Equality Bodies in Europe that have engaged in cases related to climate justice.

• Olivier Clauw, Service Prospective & Protection, UNIA – Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities, Belgium
• Naomi Kennan, International Reporting Manager, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC)

11:15 – 11:30: Coffee break

11:30 – 12:15: Panel Discussion: Equality and the EU Green Deal. Implications on various grounds

In this session, speakers will be invited to assess the adverse effects of climate change from various perspectives, in consideration of the unique conditions of different categories of society.

Moderated by Moana Genevey, Senior Policy Officer, Equinet

• Juliana Wahlgren, Director, European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN)
• Magda Boulabiza, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, European Network Against Racism (ENAR)
• Marie Denninghaus, Policy Coordinator, European Disability Forum (EDF)
• Annabel Wildschut, Research Officer, European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

12:15 – 12:30: Q&A

12:30 – 12:45: Closing remarks and main takeaways – Tamás Kádár, Equinet Co-Director (Operations, Policy and Legal)

For further information, contact Marta Pompili (marta.pompili@equineteurope.org).