Competitiveness within a Safe and Just 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: Rethinking prosperity around work, justice, and long-term wellbeing alongside economic growth.
09:50–10:20	Energy Transitions within Biophysical Limits Prof. Dr. Iñigo Capellán-Pérez (University of Valladolid) Our biophysical limits: Modeling energy transitions under physical and resource constraints.
10:20–10:40	Coffee Break
10:40-11:10	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.
11:10-11:45	Panel 1: Biophysical Limits & Climate Policy in Luxembourg Moderated by Prof. Dr. Jean-Pascal van Ypersele (OPC) Anaïs Masson (Inspiring More Sustainability – IMS) Léonard Andersen (CELL) Frédéric Meys (Fondation IDEA) 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.
14:00–14:35	Panel 2: A Wellbeing Economy for Luxembourg Moderated by Dr. Sabine Dörry (OPC) Dr. Francesco Sarracino (STATEC Research) Dr. Christina Ehlert (ADA / CSDD) Dr. Ricardo Poeira (ProSud) 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?
14:35–14:55	Coffee Break
14:55-15:25	Democracy at Work Prof. Dr. Isabelle Ferreras (Université catholique Louvain / Harvard University)
15:25-15:35	Synthesis and Future Directions Dr. Enrico Benetto (OPC) Key takeaways and implications for Luxembourg’s future policy agenda.
15:35 onwards	Networking Reception

Registration