The European Green Deal is the European Union's fundamental response to the challenges of the 21st century. From addressing climate change and nature degradation to creating conditions for sustainable and inclusive economic growth, the plan aims to revolutionise the way we live, work and play.

But what is the European Green Deal, really? And how does the European Union plan to achieve those ambitious goals? In the first episode of the Green Deal – Big Deal? podcast we take a closer look at the plan with our guests.

Dr Hans Bruyninckx, the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency, makes the case for why the European Green Deal is a more innovative, systemic and ambitious approach to environmental policy than what we have ever seen before. He argues that the European Green Deal will challenge different sectors of business and society to reinvent themselves to ensure that environmental and social sustainability is at the heart of all our activities.

With Dr Åsa Persson, the Research Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute, we discuss whether the European Green Deal can help us address major crises, such as the implications of war in Ukraine. We also ask Dr Persson a bit of a radical question: isn't the European Green Deal all a bit too complex and far-reaching?

New episodes will be released every month and can be accessed directly below or streamed on popular podcast platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts or Amazon Music. Check out the website for more information on the podcast and webinar series.