FSR

In this final episode of the CAPABLE Project podcast, Professor Simone Borghesi (EUI) interviews two researchers closely involved in the project, Alessia Casamassima (EUI) and Ilaria Dibattista (EUI), who reflect on its journey, main achievements, and key takeaways. They highlight the most important insights gained, the challenges encountered, and the lessons learned along the way. This closing conversation offers a clear, direct, and thoughtful summary of CAPABLE’s impact, as well as its implications for future research and practice.

CAPABLE is a research project funded by the Horizon Europe Programme under grant agreement No 101056891. It provides robust, resilient and actionable recommendations for the design of socially and economically acceptable climate policy measures for 2030 and beyond, examining experiences, policy design and implementation solutions to identify strategies that can enable a successful transition. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.

More info on CAPABLE: https://capableclimate.eu/

In this episode of the FSR Policy Briefcase (Season 2, Episode 10), hosts Leonardo Meeus and James Kneebone are joined by Fabio Santeramo, Part-time Professor at the Robert Schuman Centre and Head of the Agriculture Area at the Florence School of Regulation. The trio examines how climate policy and global trade are reshaping the future of European agriculture.

The conversation opens with the EU’s recent food trade surplus and what it signals about Europe’s position in global agricultural markets. Does strong export performance reflect confidence in the EU’s ESG standards, or do sustainability frameworks still struggle to deliver meaningful change on the ground?

Drawing on Fabio’s Policy Brief, the discussion turns to the evolving landscape of agricultural emissions pricing - from the political sensitivities surrounding a dedicated ETS for agriculture to the challenges of extending “polluter pays” principles to food systems. They also consider the leverage of the Common Agricultural Policy, the EU’s largest funding instrument, and whether reforming its incentives may prove more effective than introducing new regulatory obligations.

Finally, the hosts and Fabio confront the major structural questions: the environmental impact of livestock, the pressures on land use and biodiversity, and whether future food systems can be sustainable without more transformative shifts in production and consumption. The episode also touches on emerging innovations such as cell-based meat and what they might mean for Europe’s path forward. Recorded in September 2025.

Read the full Policy Brief from Fabio here: https://cadmus.eui.eu/entities/publication/45bb0ee6-f272-5055-8aaf-a5b8bef37148

In this interview with Simone Borghesi and Andris Piebalgs, we explore the key outcomes of COP30—the United Nations climate conference held in Belém, Brazil—focusing in particular on the insights and contributions provided by the Florence School of Regulation (FSR). For all FSR content related to COP30, visit: https://fsr.eui.eu/the-fsr-at-cop30-live-updates/

In the EU, national regulatory authorities are meant to act without political interference — but how independent are they really? In this episode of the FSR Policy Briefcase (Season 2, Episode 9), hosts Leonardo Meeus and Emma Menegatti sit down with FSR part-time Professor Kaisa Huhta to discuss the evolving definition of regulators’ independence in the EU.

Drawing on Kaisa Huhta's recent Policy Brief, the discussion examines why regulators' independence matters, how recent European Court of Justice rulings have tested its boundaries, and what these cases mean for the future framework of energy regulation in Europe. Recorded in October 2025. Read the policy brief: https://fsr.eui.eu/publications/?handle=1814/92830

his is the fifth episode of a series focused on the findings of the Horizon Europe project CAPABLE (ClimAte Policy AcceptaBiLity Economic framework). The aim of this podcast series is to provide an overview of the CAPABLE project and draw attention to some particularly relevant findings.

In this fifth episode, how to ensure that research reaches policymaker.

The guest is Gaby Umbach. Gaby is Part-time Professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies of the European University Institute, where she leads the Global Governance Programme’s research area Knowledge, Governance, Transformations and heads the Interdisciplinary Research Cluster on Expert Knowledge and Authority in Transformative Times. She is also a non-resident Visiting Fellow at the European Parliamentary Research Service, Adjunct Professor at the Universities of Innsbruck and CIFE/LUISS Guido Carli, and Academic Advisor at the Institute for European Politics in Berlin.

Her work examines the role of knowledge, evidence, and data in governance, with a focus on statistics as a tool of policymaking, evidence-informed governance, data literacy, and sustainable development. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cologne, where she previously researched EU decision-making, governance, and policy coordination.

CAPABLE is a research project funded by the Horizon Europe Programme under grant agreement No 101056891. It provides robust, resilient and actionable recommendations for the design of socially and economically acceptable climate policy measures for 2030 and beyond, examining experiences, policy design and implementation solutions to identify strategies that can enable a successful transition. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.

More info on CAPABLE: https://capableclimate.eu/

In this episode of the FSR Policy Briefcase (Season 2, Episode 8), hosts Leonardo Meeus and James Kneebone reflect on Ursula von der Leyen’s 2025 State of the Union address and on the conference marking one year since the Draghi report, where Leo took part in a panel of experts.

The conversation revisits Draghi’s diagnosis of Europe’s competitiveness challenges and considers how it holds up in today’s shifting geopolitical and economic context. They explore progress under the Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal, particularly efforts to reduce energy prices, and assess the priorities for the year ahead. The hosts also examine von der Leyen’s call to accelerate the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels, the role of electrification in driving down costs and improving the security of supply, and her proposals for more flexible EU funding and decision-making.

Finally, they reflect on how these policy directions relate to Europe’s values and the consistency of the EU’s agenda in a global context marked by instability elsewhere. Recorded in September 2025.

This is the fourth episode of a series focused on the findings of the Horizon Europe project CAPABLE (ClimAte Policy AcceptaBiLity Economic framework). The aim of this podcast series is to provide an overview of the CAPABLE project and draw attention to some particularly relevant findings.

In this fourth episode, we explore how focusing on workers can help achieve a climate transition and keep public opinion on board.

The guest is Giulia Laganà. Giulia was a migration expert for fifteen years before broadening her focus to include labour rights and the climate transition from 2018. She has been a senior adviser to the President of the Italian Parliament and spent five years with the United Nations and seven in private philanthropy, most recently for ClimateWorks Foundation and previously with the Open Society Foundations. Giulia has experience of advocacy, policymaking, grant management and donor relations as well as communications. An Italian national, Giulia is also part-British and part-Spanish. She has been leading the International Trade Union Confederation’s Just Transition & Climate department since January 2024.

CAPABLE is a research project funded by the Horizon Europe Programme under grant agreement No 101056891. It provides robust, resilient and actionable recommendations for the design of socially and economically acceptable climate policy measures for 2030 and beyond, examining experiences, policy design and implementation solutions to identify strategies that can enable a successful transition. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.

More info on CAPABLE: https://capableclimate.eu/

In this episode of the FSR Policy Briefcase (Season 2, Episode 7), hosts Leonardo Meeus and James Kneebone speak with Mira Tiwari from the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies about how the EU’s evolving approach to environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies is impacting value chains in the Global South.

Mira breaks down what “Global North” and “Global South” really mean in today’s context, and why the Global South’s agency is often undervalued in international ESG decision-making. Together, the group explores:

- How representation in ESG bodies can affect outcomes

- Why Global South participation in the policymaking process is crucial for successful implementation

- The potential tensions between commercial interests and ESG priorities

- What the EU’s recent regulatory changes signal for global cooperation

Drawing on Mira’s recent co-authored article, the discussion highlights key policy recommendations for improving ESG governance worldwide. Recorded in May 2025.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environment-and-development-economics/article/reforming-esg-a-european-and-global-south-perspective/1323446BCF29A503EFA4E361ADBE0CCD

This is the third episode of a series focused on the findings of the Horizon Europe project CAPABLE (ClimAte Policy AcceptaBiLity Economic framework). The aim of this podcast series is to provide an overview of the CAPABLE project and draw attention to some particularly relevant findings.

In this third episode, we dive into a fascinating survey carried out in the context of the CAPABLE project that explores how citizens across the European Union view the feasibility of climate change policies. We focus on social and contextual factors affecting behavioral change and support for specific climate policies.

The guest is Keith Smith. Keith is a senior researcher at ETH Zurich. His research analyses the incentives shaping why institutions, policymakers and citizens around the world will (or will not) work towards creating environmental public goods, such as mitigating climate change, or improving air quality. Along with colleagues at the University of Groningen, Keith is a co-lead WP2 in the HEU Capable project on social acceptability and feasibility.

CAPABLE is a research project funded by the Horizon Europe Programme under grant agreement No 101056891. It provides robust, resilient and actionable recommendations for the design of socially and economically acceptable climate policy measures for 2030 and beyond, examining experiences, policy design and implementation solutions to identify strategies that can enable a successful transition. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.

More info on CAPABLE: https://capableclimate.eu/

What will it take to decarbonise Europe’s non-ferrous metals industry? Adina Georgescu (Eurometaux) joins us to talk about the sector’s progress, challenges ahead, and the policy tools needed for a competitive, low-carbon future. Recorded at the EUI Climate Week in May 2025, as part of the LIFE COASE project.