Assessing COP29: Did the ‘Finance COP’ Meet its Lofty Goals?
14 February 2025
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Chair’s student challenge for the 2025 Spring Semester. This essay challenge, coordinated in partnership with the European Investment Bank, will be on the topic: ‘Competitiveness in a low-carbon economy: the role of innovation and green technologies in maintaining the competitive advantage’.
Eligibility
Open to all current master’s students from PSIA and EAP.
Summary of the topic
As economies transition toward low-carbon models, maintaining competitiveness presents both challenges and opportunities. Innovation and green technologies play a crucial role in enabling industries to adapt to stringent environmental standards while remaining globally competitive. Governments and businesses must invest in research and development (R&D) to drive efficiency, reduce emissions, and foster sustainable economic growth. However, stringent climate policies in some regions may lead to “carbon leakage,” where industries relocate to countries with weaker environmental regulations, potentially undermining global climate efforts. This raises critical questions about the balance between environmental ambition and economic competitiveness, the role of policy incentives in fostering sustainable innovation, and the risk of global disparities in climate action.
The essay challenge
Submit a two-page research article that addresses the following research question: ‘How can innovation and green technologies help industries maintain competitiveness in a low-carbon economy while preventing the relocation of businesses to regions with weaker climate policies?’
Your essay should present a well-structured argument supported by empirical evidence, policy analysis, or theoretical insights. You may focus on a specific European or national policy, analyse a case study of an industry or company, or explore broader economic and regulatory trends. We encourage originality, critical thinking, and a clear research framework that engages with both the risks and opportunities associated with the low-carbon transition.
Prize
Authors of the winning essays will be invited to the EIB headquarters in Luxembourg to present their research and meet with experts.
The top essays will also be published on the Chair’s student blog.
Submission requirements
- Essay length should be a maximum of 1500 words (not including references and footnotes/endnotes)
- Must be an original work
- APA or Chicago citation style (using footnotes)
- Submit your essay in pdf format
The essays will be judged based on the following criteria
- Quality and coherence of the analysis
- Innovative thinking
- Diversity of sources and use of evidence
- Professional presentation: absence of typos and grammatical errors, consistent formatting
Deadline
If you are interested in taking part in the challenge, send your essay by email to sdctchair.info@sciencespo.fr no later than Wednesday, 9 April 2025.
Winners will be announced by end of April 2025.