IIEA Talks

In this keynote address, Professor Joseph G. Allen highlights strategies to combat air pollution in indoor environments. The debilitating health effects of poor air quality and substandard housing conditions is often overlooked, but indoor air pollution leads to millions of premature deaths each year. In his address to the IIEA, Professor Allen outlines key findings from his landmark book, Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, which was recognised as ‘Best Book of the Year’ in Fortune magazine and the New York Times, for two consecutive years. About the Speaker: Joseph G. Allen is Director of the Healthy Buildings program and an Associate Professor at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Before joining the faculty at Harvard, he spent several years in the private sector leading teams of scientists and engineers to investigate and resolve hundreds of indoor environmental quality issues, including “sick buildings,” cancer clusters, and biological/chemical hazards. His academic research focuses on the critical role that the indoor built environment plays in our overall health. One of the world’s leading experts on healthy buildings, Professor Allen is a regular keynote speaker and advises leading global companies. He is the co-author of Healthy Buildings. This event is part of the Environmental Resilience series, which is supported by the EPA.

In the sixth episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist Dan O’Brien speaks with EU Director General for Trade, Sabine Weyand, about the central challenge for EU trade policy of balancing openness with greater calls for European strategic autonomy, as well as a range of other issues on her agenda, from existing and future bilateral trade deals to the functioning of the multilateral trading system.

In his address to the IIEA, Professor Martin draws upon his 2022 IIEA paper and argue that autonomy in cyber security is essential if Europe wishes to forge a wider digital strategic autonomy. He discusses how the fragmented state of EU cybersecurity prevents a coherent European cyber security strategy and argue that Europe’s lack of indigenous technological capabilities present it with a choice between deepening ties with the US or making major commitments to a European tech-industrial policy. This event is part of a transnational project called Europe’s Digital Future, which is coordinated by the IIEA, and which is supported by Google. The project aims to explore the concept of digital sovereignty and what future it might herald for the EU and for small, open economies. About the Speaker: Ciaran Martin is a Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at the Blavatnik School of Government. Prior to joining the School, Ciaran was the founding Chief Executive of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ. Prof. Martin led a fundamental shift in the UK’s approach to cyber security. He successfully advocated for a wholesale change of approach towards a more interventionist posture and this was adopted by the Government in the 2015 National Security Strategy, leading to the creation of the NCSC in 2016 under his leadership. In his 23-year career in the UK civil service, Prof. Martin held senior roles within the Cabinet Office, including Constitution Director (2011-2014) and director of Security and Intelligence at the Cabinet Office (2008-2011).

In her address to the IIEA, Dr Maria Neira highlights how the international community can foster intersectoral cooperation on air pollution to put health at the core of climate action and sustainable development. The benefits of cleaner air extend beyond personal health, to collective public, environmental and economic health. The drive for clean air can facilitate a faster reduction of climate-warming emissions, a shift to cheaper and more reliable energy sources, and improved economic security. Dr Neira discusses the benefits of putting health at the core of climate action and sustainable development to future proof the climate-health nexus. This event is part of the Development Matters lecture series, supported by Irish Aid. About the Speaker: Dr Maria Neira is the Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organization, Geneva. Dr Neira is a medical doctor by training and specialised in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases in Paris, France. Among many distinctions, she has been awarded the Médaille de l'Ordre national du Mérite by the Government of France and received an “Extraordinary Woman” award by HM Queen Letizia of Spain. In 2019, she was nominated among the top 100 policy influencers in health and climate change.

Against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, rising energy prices, climate change and a renewed call to defend our democracies, the EU must play a formative role in fostering international cooperation. In her address to the IIEA, EVP Vestager discusses these challenges and the tools at Europe’s disposal to counter them in a coordinated manner. About the Speaker: Margrethe Vestager is Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the digital age and Commissioner for Competition. She previously served as Commissioner for Competition (2014-19). She was Minister for Economic Affairs and the Interior (2011-14) and Minister for Education (1998-2001) of Denmark. She was Political leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party (2007-14) and has worked for the Danish Ministry of Finance (1993-95). Ms. Vestager holds an MSc in Economics (University of Copenhagen).

In the fifth episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan spoke with Swedish politician and former EU Trade Commissioner Anna Cecilia Malmström about the future of global trade considering the trend towards reshoring, the geopolitical impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine and concerns about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and the results of the Swedish general elections.

In this fourth episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist Dan O’Brien brings together a panel of experts on British politics to discuss the recent announcement of a new British Prime Minister. Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor of the Spectator, Katherine Butler, Associate Europe Editor of The Guardian newspaper in London and Professor Matt Goodwin, the University of Kent, analyst for British politics, come together to provide their insights and reflections on Liz Truss’ position starting off as PM, the many challenges she faces and what can be expected for the Conservative Party from here on out

In her third State of the Union Address on 14 September 2022, President von der Leyen will set out the EU’s response to the political, economic, social and energy-related consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and set out the Union’s policy priorities for the coming year. To mark this speech, the European Commission Representation in Ireland, the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland and the IIEA hosts a live-stream of the address, followed by a hybrid panel discussion with EU experts analysing President von der Leyen’s address. About the Speakers: Senator Alice-Mary Higgins is an independent senator in Seanad Éireann where she leads the Civil Engagement Group and serves on the Committees for Environment and Climate Action, Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, and on Disability Matters. She was policy coordinator at the National Women’s Council of Ireland, member of the Executive of the European Women’s Lobby in Brussels, and worked for the Older and Bolder alliance, Trócaire and Comhlámh NGOs on homecare, climate change, peace-building, and anti-racism issues. Brigid Laffan is Emerita Professor of political science, focusing on European integration. She has recently concluding her mandate as Director of the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute (EUI). Before this, she was Professor of European Politics, Vice-President of UCD and Principal of the College of Human Sciences from 2004-2011. Professor John O’Brennan is Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration and Director of the Maynooth Centre for European and Eurasian Studies at Maynooth University. He is an internationally recognised expert on EU Enlargement policy, post-accession processes, ­­­­­­and the EU in the Western Balkans. David O’Sullivan is the IIEA Director General and Chair of the European Policy Centre’s (EPC) Governing Board. He is also a former Secretary-General (2000-2005) and Director-General of DG Trade (2005-2010) of the European Commission. In a distinguished public service career over 30 years, he most recently served as the Ambassador of the EU to the United States (2014-2019). Before this, he was Chief Operating Officer in the European External Action Service (EEAS) and was responsible for establishing the EU’s diplomatic service. Since his retirement from the public sector, he currently serves as a Senior Counsellor with Steptoe & Johnson LLP. The discussion was moderated by Dearbhail McDonald, journalist, author, and broadcaster.

In the third episode of IIEA Insights, Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist, speaks with Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, about his new book ‘The Age of the Strongman’. The discussion covers a wide-rang of topics, including Vladmir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine, Xi Jinping and concerns over what lies ahead for Taiwan, as well as what Liz Truss’s leadership may mean for Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Episode 3 - Ireland’s Place in Europe and the World: Ireland and the Eu at 50 Part 2 by IIEA