Registrations open for the second edition of Climate Change Summit at Bucharest

A greener future is in progress: Climate Change Summit, the largest event in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to climate change, with a focus on identifying applicable solutions in the field of climate action, will take place on October 19 and 20 in Bucharest.

For two days, dozens of leaders in climate innovation and environmental policy, researchers, entrepreneurs, and government officials will come together in a joint effort to find locally and regionally applicable solutions for a sustainable future. The event is open to the public, and registrations can be made at climatechange-summit.org.

At its second edition, Climate Change Summit, a project organized by Social Innovation Solutions, an organization active in sustainability, social impact, and innovation, with the support of BRD Groupe Société Générale as initiator and founding partner, announces the opening of the application session for those who wish to participate in the event.

Climate Change Summit is the first event of its kind in Romania, becoming an annual meeting place for entrepreneurs, government officials, researchers, and leaders of civil society who share a common vision for a greener future. Sustainable financing and the role that startups can play in the fight against climate change, sustainable solutions in energy, agriculture, and the food industry, the circular economy, latest technologies, and the importance of biodiversity are just a few of the topics on the agenda for the event’s second edition.

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“We envisioned Climate Change Summit as an open platform, a stage for debate and dialogue, with the understanding that no one can provide solutions alone. We must come together, a united community pursuing the same goal: a sustainable future. It is a commitment that we must make at both a personal level, as individuals, and at the company or institutional level. It is absolutely necessary to rethink how we live and conceive the economy through the lens of sustainability. Last year’s edition gave us hope regarding society’s openness to these ideas, and we want to continue building in this direction at the second edition of Climate Change Summit, in which I warmly invite you to participate!”, said Francois Bloch, CEO of BRD Groupe Société Générale.

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“The future we imagine requires climate action from each individual, and the topic of climate change has become increasingly discussed in the public area. The second edition of the Summit provides the right context for real conversations focused on solutions, facilitated by local and international experts, representatives from the civic, entrepreneurial, and institutional environments, business leaders, and researchers. The past years of global and regional crises show us how important it is to build solutions together for the future, and we are delighted to once again bring relevant international expertise to the Summit to build a sustainable future in Romania”, said Ciprian Stănescu, President and CEO, Social Innovation Solutions.

Among the 60 speakers of the event, there are notable global leaders in the field, experts, and entrepreneurs such as Elina Bardram, Head of International Relations Unit, DG Climate, European Commission; Hans van der Loo, President, Institute of Integrated Economic Research; Linda Zeilina, CEO and founder, The International Sustainable Finance Centre (ISFC); Peter Elwin, Head of the Food & Land Use program, Planet Tracker; Georgia Elliott Smith, Managing Director, Element Four, Paolo Piffaretti, CEO, Carbon X; François Bloch, CEO, BRD Groupe Société Générale; Céline Coulibre-Duménil, CSR Director, Auchan Retail International or Flavia Popa, Secretary General, BRD Groupe Société Générale.

The first edition of the Climate Change Summit took place in October 2022 and brought together over 70 global speakers and about 1200 participants for events, discussions, and debates on solutions to future climate challenges and transformations in energy, the food chain, cities, or policies. Also, almost 1 million people watched the live broadcast on Twitter and YouTube.

“We are pleased to be strategic partners in this extremely important event that raises vital issues and focuses on sustainability solutions. We are aligned in our common mission to inform and educate consumers and other stakeholders about the impact of climate change. At the same time, we aim to open new avenues of communication and cooperation regarding the decarbonization of products alongside our partners. The main lever of action is the construction of a common plan that sets new standards for sustainable practices in agriculture, eco-design of products, renewable energy, combating food waste, resource efficiency, and circular economy projects”, said Corina Dospinoiu, Sustainability Director at Auchan Romania, strategic partner of the event.

During the first edition of Climate Change Summit, the Social Innovation Solutions team conducted the largest foresight exercise in Romania regarding climate change, resulting in 20 scenarios for 2030 and solutions to the most probable challenges in the next eight years. Simultaneously, the Youth Ambassadors 4 Climate Action program was implemented, where young entrepreneurs, leaders, and experts explored the most sustainable solutions for a better future.

“Mastercard’s mission is to create a sustainable and inclusive economy. We believe in the ‘force for good’ principle, and all of the company’s actions are designed to contribute to people’s well-being and the planet’s prosperity. We are pleased to be a part of Climate Change Summit for the second consecutive year because only by acting together, with determination and vision, can we ensure a better future for future generations”, said Cosmin Vladimirescu, General Manager of Romania and Croatia, Mastercard.

Climate Change Summit 2023 is organized by Social Innovation Solutions, along with BRD Groupe Société Générale, Auchan Romania as Strategic Partner, Mastercard as Climate Partner, and with the support of Société Générale Global Solution Center, the European Climate Foundation and EPG. Among the organizational partners are the Concordia Confederation of Romanian Employers, Foreign Investors Council, Romanian Business Leaders, The Coalition for Circular Economy, The Embassy of Sustainability, WWF Romania, EFdeN, The European Institute of Romania, Leaders Foundation, Envisia, Europe Direct, GEYC, The Romanian Youth Council, Carbon Expert, Infoclima, Valea Verde, Global Shapers Bucharest Hub, The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Romania, The Romanian-Greek Chamber of Commerce, and media partners Hotnews and NewsEnergy.