As part of the discussions surrounding sustainable development in Europe, the La Rochelle Université Foundation, in partnership with Confrontations Europe and the Mouvement Européen – Charente-Maritime, organised a round table dedicated to the links between local initiatives and European policies.

The event brought together representatives from academia, local authorities and European organisations to discuss how cooperation between local stakeholders and European institutions can help address the challenges of the ecological transition.

The discussion featured three speakers with complementary perspectives:

  • Michel Derdevet, President of Confrontations Europe and the Maison de l’Europe de Paris, who shared his insights into European energy policy and the role of the European Union in supporting the ecological transition.
  • Gérard Blanchard, Vice-President of the La Rochelle Urban Community for Sustainable Development and head of the La Rochelle Zero Carbon Territory project, as well as Vice-President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council for Higher Education and Research, who presented the territory’s strategy for achieving carbon neutrality through an integrated approach combining public policies, innovation and stakeholder engagement.
  • Jean-Marc Ogier, President of La Rochelle Université and of the European University EU-CONEXUS, who highlighted the contribution of higher education, research and European university alliances to supporting sustainable development and training future generations.

The discussion highlighted the complementarity between territorial initiatives and European cooperation, using projects such as La Rochelle Zero Carbon Territory and EU-CONEXUS as examples of how local and European actors can work together to address environmental challenges.

By bringing together experts from different sectors, the round table offered an opportunity to exchange perspectives on the role of universities, public authorities and European cooperation in supporting more sustainable and resilient territories.