Event Announcement

Sustainable Finance – Quo Vadis?

on 11 December 2025 | 12:30 - 14:30
at the Representation of the State of Hessen to the European Union 
Rue Montoyer 21 – 1000 Brussels

The future of sustainable finance has never been more uncertain and more 
important than today.
Over the past 24 months, the sustainability landscape has undergone a profound shift. Former certainties — such as expansion of carbon pricing through ETS 2 or the phase-out of the combustion engine — are now being questioned.

Conflicting signals and rising political uncertainty in the sustainability sphere make it harder for economic actors to chart their path ahead: 
Can we still stick to a 1.5°C scenario? Should we pursue investment strategies that anticipate political action to achieve that goal? What is the role of the financial sector, to drive ambitious decarbonisation or to manage the growing climate and environmental risk?

Join us for a High-Level Discussion on the Future of Sustainable Finance

How do leading experts see the path ahead for sustainable finance? We’re bringing together Members of the European Parliament, officials from the European 
Commission, leading academics, and experts from public banks to discuss:

  • Will we stay on course towards 1.5°C?
  • How will climate adaptation and biodiversity be addressed?
  • What role will public banks play in driving the transition?
     

Program Highlights

12:30 – 13:00 Light Lunch
13:00 – 14:00 Panel Discussion
14:00 – 14:30 Networking Coffee

Welcome Address 
Dr Thomas Eckert, Head of the Representation of the State of Hessen to the EU 
Christoph Wengler, Member of the Executive Board, Association of German Public Banks, VÖB

Panel Discussion 
Dr Paulina Dejmek Hack, Head of Cabinet for Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for 
Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy,
European Commission
Nicolas Véron, Bruegel Co-Founder and Senior Fellow
Petra Sandner, Chief Sustainability Officer, Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen, Member of the Board Sustainable Finance Cluster

Moderation: Dr Detlef Fechtner, Senior Political Reporter, Börsen-Zeitung

Please register using the link below. The event will be held in English.