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Available Episodes

5 of 557

Beyond Borders: The European Green Deal and Implications for the Global South
In an online address to the Institute, Dr Joana Portugal Pereira considers the environmental and social complexities of the EU's Green Deal beyond the EU's borders. She explores how the EU's Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Strategy may have adverse consequences on third countries, such as Brazil, should the EU rely on them for land-based carbon offsets. Dr Portugal Pereira argues for the adoption of a more equitable approach to climate action that supports global climate goals, while safeguarding the rights and livelihoods of communities in the Global South. Speaker bio: Dr Joana Portugal Pereira is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Instituto Superior Técnico, ULisboa and Research Fellow at the Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research (IN+). She holds a PhD in Urban Engineering from The University of Tokyo (2011). Dr. Portugal Pereira has made significant contributions to global environmental assessments, serving as a lead author for several influential UN reports such as the IPCC Sixth Assessment Cycle, the UN Environment Programme's Seventh Global Environmental Outlook (GEO7), and the UNEP Emissions Gap Report. Her expertise lies in energy and land-based innovations for environmental mitigation and climate change adaptation.
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26:23
Pete Shirlow and Lee Reynolds: Promoting the Union
This talk explores the future of unionism in Northern Ireland, examining both the opportunities and challenges facing those who wish to remain part of the United Kingdom. Drawing on polling data, historical context, and political strategy, Professor Pete Shirlow and Lee Reynolds highlight the shifting identities beyond the traditional unionist–nationalist divide, the need for a positive message, and the importance of engaging with the younger generation. Promoting the Union makes a case for building a forward-looking, persuasive vision of the Union. About the Speakers: Professor Pete Shirlow is Director of the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool. He is an expert on conflict, peacebuilding, segregation, and post-conflict transformation, with a distinguished record of research, policy engagement, and public commentary. He serves as Independent Chair of the OFMDFM Employers’ Guidance on Recruiting People with Conflict-Related Convictions Working Group and is a board member of the mental health charity Threshold. Lee Reynolds is the former Special Adviser to DUP First Minister Arlene Foster and previously served as the party’s Director of Policy. He also directed the Vote Leave campaign in Northern Ireland during the 2016 referendum. Drawing on his experience designing and interpreting opinion poll data, Lee is recognised for his strategic insight into shifting voter identities and the future of unionism and is often asked for his political commentary.
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54:22
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54:22
A YPN with Tony Connelly, Europe Editor at RTE
A fireside chat with Tony Connelly. About the speaker: Tony Connelly is RTE’s Europe Editor, covering European affairs since 2001. He has reported extensively from Ukraine on the Russian invasion, and on the Middle East conflict. Tony was awarded an honorary doctorate for services to journalism by the University of Galway, is the recipient of two ESB National Media awards and a New York Festivals radio award. He received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the UCD Smurfit Graduate School of Journalism, and an Irish Law Society Justice Media Award, for his coverage of Brexit.
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1:07:47
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1:07:47
Reclaiming Europe’s Promise: The Quality Jobs Agenda and the Next Social Contract
Europe stands at a turning point. In her address to the IIEA, Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the ETUC, argues that Europe’s competitiveness renewal lies not in deregulation and decline, but in combining investment and social justice. The next Social Contract needs to deliver a Quality Jobs Agenda to boost collective bargaining, drive fair transitions, deliver fair wages, end exploitation, increase investment for a European Industrial Policy. She calls for all public investment to deliver social conditionalities ensuring every euro creates quality jobs and ends the race to the bottom. The next Social Contract must be something all workers can rely on not just something they read about, every job should be a quality job, and all workers should be free from fear about tomorrow. About the Speaker: Esther Lynch is the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation. Previously, Ms Lynch was Deputy General Secretary at the ETUC from 2019 to 2022, following four years as Confederal Secretary. Esther led on social dialogue, collective bargaining and wage policy, trade union rights, gender equality. She has extensive trade union experience at Irish, European and international levels, starting with her election as a shop steward in the 1980s. Before coming to the ETUC, she was the Legislation and Social Affairs Officer with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), where she took part in negotiations on Ireland’s National Social Partner Agreements. As Deputy General Secretary and as Confederal Secretary she led successful actions aimed at improving workers and trade union rights in legislative initiatives such as the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, the Transparent and Predicable Working Conditions Directive and the Whistleblowing Directive, she also ran a successful campaign that mobilised support for the European Pillar of Social Rights and the ETUC’s ‘Europe Needs a Pay Rise’ campaign. In addition to securing the adoption of 15 legally binding occupational exposure limits to protect workers from exposure to carcinogens, as well as concluding social partners’ agreements on digitalisation and on reprotoxins. A lifelong feminist, Esther is pushing for measures to end the undervaluing of work predominantly done by women.
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23:30
Finland’s Futures Ecosystem
In this IIEA webinar, the panel takes a deep dive into Finland’s Futures Ecosystem — a unique network of public institutions, research bodies, civil society, and private sector actors working together to shape long-term thinking and strategic foresight. This panel provides an overview of the key components, actors, and processes that drive futures work in Finland, offering insights into how collaboration, policy, and innovation come together to anticipate and navigate change. This panel event follows on from an address entitled Finland’s Futures Ecosystem in a European Context by Joakim Strand, the Finnish Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering. This webinar will also be followed by a further panel event that focuses on the Irish approach to foresight and what can be learnt from the Finnish experience. This event was organised in conjunction with the UCD Centre for Innovation, Technology and Organisation. Panelists include: Elina Kiiski-Kataja, Senior Lead of Foresight & Insight at Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund that helps Finland anticipate the future; Maria Höyssä, Senior Advisor to the Committee for the Future at the Parliament of Finland & Senior Research Fellow at the Finland's Futures Research Centre; Vera Djakonoff, Senior Expert, Anticipatory Governance at Demos Helsinki, an independent think tank that helps build capacities to instigate and sustain essential transitions; Dr Kevin Deegan, Vice President for Innovation & Insight at Valio, Finland's biggest food exporter
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