Competitiveness within a Safe Operating Space
Competitiveness within a Safe Operating Space: Reconciling economic competitiveness with societal wellbeing and planetary boundaries
How can societies thrive economically while safeguarding planetary boundaries and human wellbeing? This urgent question lies at the heart of our symposium, where scientists, policymakers, and civil society will converge to redefine prosperity beyond GDP growth. Organized by Luxembourg’s Climate Policy Observatory (OPC), the event bridges cutting-edge research with actionable policy, exploring how justice, post-growth economics, and biophysical limits reshape competitiveness—from energy transitions to urban equity. With Luxembourg’s climate goals (PNEC 2040) as a backdrop, we’ll ask: What does a competitive, climate-neutral future look like, and how do we get there?
Location: Neimënster Abbey, 28 rue Münster, L-2160 Luxembourg
Date: 20 October 2026
Registration: Please scroll down for the registration link below the agenda.
Agenda
| 08:30–09:00 | Registration and Welcome Coffee |
| 09:00–09:20 | Opening Remarks Serge Wilmes, Minister of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity Dr. Enrico Benetto, OPC Setting the scene: Reframing competitiveness and prosperity within planetary boundaries and societal wellbeing. |
| 09:20–09:50 | Work, Justice & Post-Growth Prosperity Prof. Dr. Dominique Méda (Université Paris Dauphine / IRISSO) What prosperity means: Grounding prosperity in work, justice, and post-growth rather than economic growth. |
| 09:50–10:20 | The Material & Carbon Footprint of the Economy Prof. Dr. Edgar Hertwich (IIASA / NTNU) Our biophysical envelope: Understanding material consumption, carbon footprints, and implications for competitiveness. |
| 10:20–10:40 | Coffee Break |
| 10:40-11:10 | Energy Transitions within Biophysical Limits Iñigo Capellán-Pérez (University of Valladolid) Our biophysical limits: Modeling energy transitions under physical and resource constraints. |
| 11:10-11:45 | Panel 1: Biophysical Limits & Climate Policy in Luxembourg Moderated by Prof. Dr. Jean-Pascal van Ypersele (OPC) Guiding questions: How do biophysical limits affect Luxembourg’s competitiveness strategy? What implications do these constraints have for the PNEC 2040? Which policy levers remain available to a small open economy? |
| 11:45–13:00 | Networking Lunch |
| 13:00–13:30 | Cities, Land & Spatial Inequality Prof. Dr. Joana Barros (Birkbeck, University of London) Space, cities & well-being: Exploring how limits and burdens distribute across cities and social groups. |
| 13:30–14:00 | Decoupling Wellbeing from Resource Use Prof. Dr. Julia Steinberger (University of Lausanne) From constraint to lived experience: Exploring how wellbeing can be decoupled from resource use. |
| 14:00–14:20 | Coffee Break |
| 14:20–14:55 | Panel 2: A Wellbeing Economy for Luxembourg Moderated by Dr. Sabine Dörry (OPC) Guiding questions: What would a wellbeing economy look like in Luxembourg? Which indicators beyond GDP should guide policymaking? How can finance and public policy support the transition? |
| 14:55-15:05 | Synthesis and Future Directions Dr. Enrico Benetto (OPC) Key takeaways and implications for Luxembourg’s future policy agenda. |
| 15:05–15:15 | Closing Remarks Ministry of the Economy, SMEs, Energy, and Tourism |
| 15:15 onwards | Networking Reception |
Registration