Yesterday, the Embassy of France in Slovenia held an event at the InnoRenew CoE building within the framework of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The theme was infrastructure and transport.

“We could not choose a better setting for this meeting about green transition than the new  InnoRenew CoE building, made from wood and dedicated to research about renewable materials,” Her Excellency Florence Ferrari, French Ambassador to Slovenia, said in her welcome speech.

Aleš Mihelič, State Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure; Florence Ferrari, French Ambassador to Slovenia; Jerneja Jug Jerše, Head of European Commission Representation in Slovenia. Image: Lea Primožič

Aleš Mihelič, State Secretary at the Republic of Slovenia’s Ministry of Infrastructure, greeted the assembled European ambassadors and their representatives serving in Slovenia from Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Lithuania.

“Our common goal is to be climate neutral by 2050 with a transition towards greenhouse gas neutrality in the energy and mobility sectors,” State Secretary Mihelič said. “Our future actions must therefore comply with the aim of the Paris agreement, European Green Deal, European economic recovery plan and other European priority tasks.”

Aleš Mihelič, State Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure. Image: Embassy of France in Slovenia

A panel discussion was held around Fit for 55 strategy and green transition in Slovenia’s infrastructure and transport sector. Panelists included Andrej Cah from Luka Koper, Jerneja Jug Jerše, from the European Commission, Bine Štancar from CMA-CGM Adriatic cluster, Rok Svetek from Adria kombi d.o.o. and Darko Trajanov from the Sustainable Mobility and Transport Policy Directorate at the Ministry for Infrastructure. Risks and opportunities were identified as the European transport sector emits a quarter of the European Union’s carbon dioxide emissions. The gathered ambassadors and embassy representatives analyzed how the Fit for 55 package can help reduce these emissions.

Panel discussion about the strategy Fit for 55 and the green transition of the infrastructure and transport sector in Slovenia. Image: Embassy of France in Slovenia

Participants of the panel discussion. Image: Lea Primožič

Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director, and Dr. Michael Burnard, InnoRenew CoE deputy director, closed the meeting with a tour of the InnoRenew CoE building. The ambassadors and embassy representatives learned about this unique building’s construction and design process and how the institute addresses pressing issues related to green transition and climate change.

Dr Andreja Kutnar and Dr Michael Burnard addressed the guests before the tour started. Image: Lea Primožič