On June 5 and 6, in celebration of World Environment Day, Prof. Phoebe Koundouri had the honour of delivering a keynote address at the Plenary Session of the 2nd International Conference – Renaissance in Economics: Manifesto for a New Economy, hosted by the Department of Economics and Management at the Università degli Studi di Firenze.
This significant gathering brought together economists, policymakers, and thought leaders dedicated to reimagining the role of economics in addressing today’s most urgent global challenges — from the climate crisis to growing social inequality.
Alongside Romina Boarini (OECD Centre on Well-being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity), Mario Nava (Director General, DG EMPL, European Commission), and Jeffrey Sachs (Columbia University), Prof. Koundouri reflected on the necessary evolution of economic theory and policy to promote human dignity, ecological sustainability, and social justice.
In her keynote, Prof. Koundouri discussed the Manifesto for a New Economy and highlighted the work of AE4RIA – the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aephoria, which actively supports the Manifesto’s vision across environmental, economic, technological, and social dimensions. She presented AE4RIA’s contributions to climate neutrality, sustainable oceans, the water–food–energy–biodiversity nexus, innovation, finance, and education — all aimed at delivering real-world pathways toward a just and sustainable transition through the integration of natural, technological, economic, and social systems.
The conference was guided by the principles of the Manifesto for a New Economy, first launched around the time of Pope Francis’s funeral, honouring his powerful legacy of integral ecology and his enduring call for debt justice.
