Event

9th - 10th June 2022

Green Conservatism

Warsaw, Poland

Hotel Mercure Warszawa Grand
Krucza 28, 00-522 Warszawa, Poland

Energy and climate policy are increasingly at the centre of politics in Europe – from the push by the European Commission for a Green New Deal, to rising energy prices as a result of the conflict with Russia. It is difficult to ignore just how important these issues are. As such conservatives need to have their own answers to these complex issues.

Thankfully there is a growing movement towards Green Conservatism, approaching climate issues from a pragmatic, practical, and sustainable point of view. From nuclear to hydrogen, wind to clean coal – conservatives are at the forefront of embracing new technology in the pursuit of energy independence and green objectives.

Join New Direction and Instytut Promyka for a special conference in Warsaw on Green Conservatism and the future of European Energy independence.

Agenda

Thursday, 9th June Friday, 10th

Thursday, 9th June
Friday, 10th

09:40

Welcome - Opening remarks

Witold d’Humilly de Chevilly, Executive Director of New Direction
Weronika Dumin, CEO of Institute Promyka

09:50

Keynote Speech

Anna Moskwa, Minister of Climate and Environment
Jacek Sasin, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, Minister of State Assets

10:30

Panel discussion #1

Weaponizing energy

The war in Ukraine has shown how fragile Europe’s energy security is. Dependence on the great suppliers of oil and gas has meant that we are now witnessing the real collapse of the West and everything it represented. During the panel, we will focus on the values that could prevent this.

Sean Duffy, Leadership Institute (Moderator)
Paweł Majewski, CEO of ENEA
Olevs Nikers, President of the Baltic Security Foundation
José Ramón Riera, Economist

11:30

Coffee Break

11:50

Panel discussion #2

Energiewende - in search of real roots of European Climate Policy

There is no doubt that all economic undertakings are closely related and their effects are felt far beyond the borders of the country in which they are implemented. Where is the thin line between saving the environment and creating a policy that will only benefit certain coutries?

Piotr Zacharski, (moderator)
Dr Björn Peters, Consultant in energy
Prof Samuele Furfari, Professor of Geopolitics of Energy (ESCP London, ULB Brussels), Former senior official at the European Commission’s DG Energy and Knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
Paweł Sałek, Advisor at the President’s office, Poland

12:50

Lunch

14:30

Promyk Institute Presentation

Report on the climate policies of European countries

Piotr Mazur, Promyk Institut

15:00

Panel discussion #3

Freedom of choice – what do we need in our countries to protect the environment?

What happens when international institutions interfere too much in the state’s policy? Each country has a different economic, social and geographic profile. What are the limits of external interference in the state’s climate policy?

Piotr Mazur, Promyk Institut (Moderator)
Sławomir Mazurek, Vice President of National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management
Pieter Cleppe, Founder and Editor at Brussels Report
Krzysztof Wąssowski, PhD in Law, Warsaw University

16:00

Coffee Break

16:15

Panel discussion #4

Green revolution or green conservatism? The role of young people in changing our future.

Especially among the younger generations, we see an ever stronger need for a new solidarity, sensitivity to the problems of the natural environment and an attitude of active defense of it. Can young people become a prophetic voice reminding us that we inherit the Earth on which we live and borrow from our descendants?

Radosław Fogiel MP, ECR Party Vice-President (Moderator)
Marko Milanovic Litre MP, Vice President of New Direction
Piotr Mazurek, Government Plenipotentiary for youth policy
Filip Blaha, Students for Liberty

17:15

Closing Speech

Piotr Pyzik, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of State Assets, Poland; Government Plenipotentiary for Transformation of Energy Companies and Coal Mining Industry

10:15

Welcome - Opening remarks

Tomasz Poręba MEP, President of New Direction
Marcin Chludziński, President of the Management Board at KGHM

10:30

Panel discussion #5

Green innovations - a mission for the next decades

The green revolution is not only an energy challenge, but above all a technological challenge. The role of the state is to critically recognize the potential of inventions, support the networking of scientists and entrepreneurs with recipients of innovation in the country and abroad, and to challenge innovators. What should this exchange look like?

Maria Cholewińska, Promyk Institute (Moderator)
Karol Wolff, PKN Orlen, Head of Strategy Department
Dr Björn Peters, Consultant in energy
Jakub Kowalski, Member of the Board for Operation from Polska Spółka Gazownictwa
PGNiG representative

11:30

Coffee Break

11:45

Panel discussion #6

Is nuclear energy a threat for the Kremlin policy?

For years, movements around the world spread propaganda that considers nuclear energy as dangerous and harmful for the environment. Right now, the trends in Europe are changing. Is it to late or is it still possible for Europe to be independent from russian gas.

Robert Tyler, Senior Policy Adviser, New Direction (Moderator)
Scott Melbye, Executive Vice President, Uranium Energy Corporation
Andrzej Śliwka, Vice Minister of State Assests of Poland
Dr Tomasz Nowacki, Director of the Nucelar Energy Department, Ministry of Climate

12:45

Lunch

14:00

Panel discussion #7

Green activists. Idealists or "useful idiots"?

We will discuss the role of environmental non-goverment organizations. Some of them have huge impact on projects that are essential for european economies and environment. Around the world, we had a run of ‘climate protests’ by school children – bizarre since it is transparently obvious that child protests are mostly a front used by manipulative adults.

Steve Sutton, Leadership Institute, (moderator)
Grzegorz Puda, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy
Hermann Tertsch MEP, ECR Group Vice President and Member of New Direction
Bogdan Rzońca MEP, ECR group and Member of New Direction

15:00

Coffee Break

15:15

Panel discussion #8

Energy Transformation

Our panel will focus on finding the golden mean in carrying out the energy transition properly. Experience shows that too hasty movements or becoming dependent on a single source of energy do not always bring good results.

Maria Cholewińska, Promyk Institute (Moderator)
Kasjan Wyligała, Vice President of Lubelski Węgiel Bogdanka
Elmars Kehris, Executive Director, Latvian Economists Association
Radan Huth, Climatologist

16:15

Coffee Break

16:30

Panel discussion #9

In search of permanent narrative foundations for green conservatism

Our common future is uncertain, but we can choose a path that will keep our planet and our species safe. Instead of entrusting environmental concerns to ineffective NGOs and international commissions, we should take personal responsibility for them. No large-scale project will succeed unless it is rooted in small-scale practical reasoning.

Ron Nehring, Leadership Institute (Moderator)
Rob Roos MEP, ECR Group Vice President and Member of New Direction
Loise Toole, International Programme Manager of the Conservative Environment Network
Litkei Máté, Director of Climate Institute at MCC

17:30

Conclusion - Final remarks

Wojciech Dąbrowski, President of the Management Board of PGE

Media

New Direction is registered in Belgium as a not-for-profit organisation and is partly funded by the European Parliament. The European Parliament and New Direction assume no responsibility for the opinions expressed in this publication. Sole responsibility lies with the individual authors.