In the quest for a more sustainable tomorrow, the city, and the country focus on a “new economy”

“The new economy” was the core of the many speeches and conversation that took place this Tuesday afternoon at the CNN Portugal International Summit. At Alfândega do Porto, national and international experts in areas like economics, politics, geopolitics, international relations, or digital transition met to “embrace the future”, the motto of the initiative.

Invited to open the debate, the vice president of Porto City Hall recognized the need for a new economy, “with less carbon emissions and more energy efficency”, “less dependent on fossil fuels and more rational in using natural resources”, “less waste producing and more focused on reusing products”, “less polluting and more environmental friendly” and “less intensive in production and more qualified and inclusive in creating employment.”

“In short, a more sustainable economy from a social and environmental point of view”, considers Filipe Araújo. For that, and “to find a sustainable global economic model”, the also responsible for the Environment and Climate Transitions has no doubt that we “need to work together”.

Giving the Porto Climate Pact as an example, the vice president left, at the opening of the summit, the appeal for “policies for the most ambitious, innovative and disrupted cities”. Filipe Araújo believes that “this new economy” requires “policies that adapt the urban mesh to climate change, which encourage sustainable practices and that promote the circular management of resources”.

Assuming himself as “an optimist”, the vice president considers that “this new economy is rising”, due to “the consistent signs of hope in a more sustainable economic and social model” given by new generations regarding climate actions, but also in “matters related to poverty, inequalities, and dignified work.”

“I am certain that, as Humanity, we will know how to find a more virtuous paradigm of economic development”, reinforced Filipe Araújo.

Also at the opening, the Chairman of the Board of directors of CNN Portugal assumed the need of “working together as citizens, for a less divided world”. With a new elections scenario in Portugal, Mário Ferreira considers that “we now must hope that a solution is found so that the country continues developing the economy, soothe the society and develop a balanced model for the functioning of justice. So that everyone may aspire to a path of prosperity.”

Throughout the afternoon, many have participated on the debate promoted by CNN Portugal, the Minister of Internal Affairs, José Luís Carneiro, who spoke about the “As novas Fronteiras por um espaço de liberdade, segurança e justiça”; the president of the Social Democratic Party, Luís Montenegro, in a conversation on the “O papel de Portugal na Europa”; or the Governor of the Bank of Portugal, Mário Centeno who analysed the dichotomy “Política Fiscal vs. Política Monetária”.

Among the international speakers, the CNN Portugal International Summit invited Pascal Lamy, vice-president of the Paris Peace Forum and Farah Pandith, expert in foreign policy and fighting against violent extremism.