EUIA25 - Curiae Virides panels

ERC Curiae Virides is organising two important panels at the upcoming The European Union in International Affairs (EUIA) Conference. These panels address the pressing intersections of sustainable finance, environmental justice and human rights  within the context of the European Green Deal and global value chains. They are scheduled on 22 May 2025 at the VUB with fantastic presenters:

11:00, Panel 351 "Green transition for whom? A critical examination of the EU's critical raw materials supply chains and their implications for human rights and environmental justice"

Chair: Liliana Lizarazo Rodriguez

Discussant: Alberto Pecoraro 

This panel explores how the expansion of global value chains for critical raw materials (CRMs) may exacerbate social and environmental injustices, particularly in resource-rich regions. Presentations will include:

Marta Paricio Montesinos ( Brussels School of Governance - Vrije Universiteit Brussel and University of Helsinki) on the role of corporate due diligence in mitigating conflict within CRM supply chains.

Marco Nicolò (University of Trento and Brussels School of Governance - Vrije Universiteit Brussel) on environmental justice within the EU’s CRM strategy.

Wies Willems (Broederlijk Delen, Belgium) examining the EU’s dual role in safeguarding supply and promoting sustainable development in South America’s lithium triangle.

Kevin Le Merle and Tancrede Bougle (Ghent University, UNU-CRIS) discussing the ethical dimensions of environmental upgrading in the wake of the European Green Deal.

15:15, Panel 369, "Investors, Sustainable Finance, and Global Value Chains" will delve into the complex interplay between financial actors and sustainability in global value chains, with a focus on the EU and beyond. This session will critically assess the role of sustainable finance as a cornerstone of the EU Green Deal and its implications for corporate responsibility. The panel will feature:

Max Nagel (Brussels School of Governance - Vrije Universiteit Brussel) on financial subordination in the green finance transition through the lens of green bonds.

Joao Teixeira de Freitas (Brussels School of Governance - Vrije Universiteit Brussel) exploring the responsibilities of financial and banking sector actors under OECD due diligence norms.

Alberto Pecoraro (Maqsut Narikbayev University, Kazakhstan) discussing the EU’s engagement with Central Asia’s CRM sector and the concept of social license to operate.

Karin Buhmann (Copenhagen Business School) addressing the challenges and drivers of embedding human rights due diligence into investment chains.

Liliana Lizarazo Rodriguez and Joao Teixeira de Freitas (Brussels School of Governance - Vrije Universiteit Brussel) presenting on the multifaceted roles of investors in ecological conflicts and transnational litigation.