We cordially invite you to the lecture “Towards new sustainability narratives by the progressive civil society organisations“, which will be held on March 16, 2026 (11:30–13:00 CET). The event will take place at the Poznań University of Economics and Business, Room 236 A (Main Building), and online.
Speaker: Eric Ponthieu, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor at the University of Bologna, Italy.
To join the lecture, please register using the registration form or the QR code below:
Ideas of equity, social justice, the rule of law and co-operation were essential to the founding and development of post-war international institutions. Progressive CSOs promoting these values played a crucial role in the adoption of a large corpus of sustainability policies by the EU in the early 2020s. From the beginning of the 21st century, as the internet developed and social media changed the entire structure of communication and opinion-forming, an increasingly vocal and influential component of civil society emerged with little or no interest in sustainability issues. This has marked a significant political/cultural shift in western democracies. Without confidence in the necessity and the gains of sustainability actions citizens will not engage with behavioural change – politically or personally. Sustainability clashes with our destructively consumerist global culture, that manipulates and constrains individual agency. Sustainability is also to be taken from a global perspective instead of limiting the focus to the European situation, especially for addressing the externalities of the EU consumption.
The lecture will assess the potential of two narrative changes for boosting the sustainability endeavor of progressive CSOs: 1. Incorporating the international dimension of the decarbonisation process in the EU policies in the form of a Global green Deal (GGD), 2. Taking up the many inspiring initiatives of art and culture to challenge the overarching systems of capitalism and triggering behavioural changes towards more social and environmental protection.
Eric Ponthieu, PhD, is an academic and policy expert specialising in sustainability, European public policy, and climate governance. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Bologna (Italy), where, since 2023, he has been teaching the course “Towards Sustainability – Moving from Theory to Practice through Reformed Decision-Making.”
He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Firenze (Italy), where he contributes to the course “Circular Design, Policies and Practices – Sustainable Development Policies,” together with Professor Massimo Delogu. Since 2008, he has been an Associate Lecturer at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, where he teaches courses on European Union climate policies.
In addition, since 2025, he has been teaching at the University of Lille and at Audencia Business School in Paris, contributing to master’s programmes on European public policies and global economics.
Dr. Ponthieu is also actively involved in international academic cooperation. Since 2022, he has served as a Visiting Professor at Musashino University in Tokyo, and from 16 January to 15 February 2026, he is a Visiting Professor at the University of Tokyo.