European Forum Alpbach 2026

alpbach.org 2026 bio

1 September 2026, 8:00-8:45; Ort Alpbach - Feuerwehrhaus
"Morning Briefing - Wie Europa Klimaschutz und Wachstum verbinden kann"

Der Green Deal wurde abgeschwächt, der geopolitische Druck wächst, und die Industrie klagt über den Verlust europäischer Wettbewerbsfähigkeit. Das Morning Briefing setzt bei der These an, dass Europa sich zwischen Klimaschutz und Wachstum nicht entscheiden muss, und was es braucht, damit der grüne Umbau Lebensqualität und Resilienz bringt.

Session info.

1 September 2026, 14:00-15:30; CCA – Hayek-Saal
"Turning Uncertainty into Resilience: Building Future-Ready Businesses"

Global supply chains are increasingly exposed to uncertainty – from geopolitical shifts to climate risks. This session explores how companies can build resilience in practice while creating long-term value. Focusing on concrete examples and cross-sector perspectives, the discussion will examine what works, what can be scaled, and how resilience can be strengthened across the value chain.

Session info.

2 September 2026, 10:30-12:00; Hotel Böglerhof – Fichtensaal
"Powering Prosperity: Energy the decisive lever for Europe`s future"

Sustainability. Affordability. Security of supply. Can Europe have all three? This panel dives into the hard trade-offs of the energy transition – from Austria to Europe to the world – with experts who connect the dots across every scale.

Speakers:
Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism, Austria
Pascal Lamy, Chairman, Climate Overshoot Commission; former Director General, WTO
Maria Kalina Oroschakoff, Journalist, New Zürcher Zeitung
Michael Strugl, CEO, Verbund
Gernot Wagner, Climate economist, Columbia Business School
Moderator: Anita Malli, Head of Environment & Sustainability, ORF

Session info.

3 September 2026, 12:30-13:30; CCA – Loggia
"Brown Bag Lunch – How Europe Stands to Gain from Tackling the Climate Crisis"

Recent geopolitical upheavals show that Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels is not only a climate and security risk, but also an economic vulnerability. The global race for clean energy and green technologies is in full swing. This discussion brings up the questions of which countries stand to benefit, which are falling behind – and how the EU should respond to the US.

Speaker:
Gernot Wagner, Climate economist, Columbia Business School
Moderator: Paula-Marie Pucker, trend

Session info.