EU Green Week 2026 opened in Brussels on Wednesday, bringing together policymakers, businesses, scientists, farmers, investors and civil society groups to discuss what the European Commission calls a “nature-positive economy.”
The two-day conference, hosted by the European Commission, is framed around the idea that healthy ecosystems support food production, clean water supplies, protection from floods and other impacts, and public health, the Commission informed in a release.
As much as two-thirds of Europe’s economic activity depends on services provided by nature — such as fertile soils, pollination and clean water.
The conference coincides with the publication of a new Eurobarometer survey on biodiversity, which it said found continued strong public support among Europeans for protecting nature and tackling biodiversity loss.
Participants are expected to discuss topics including regenerative farming models, restoring nature “at scale”, soil regeneration, greening cities, and approaches that businesses use to factor nature into strategy and risk management.
Start-ups and investors meet at ‘Re:Invest in Nature’
A dedicated initiative called Re:Invest in Nature is bringing together 70 start-ups and entrepreneurs working on nature-based technology and business models with investors, including JP Morgan and Rabobank.
Jessika Roswall, the European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, said the focus of the event was that “healthy ecosystems are the foundation of resilient, competitive economies.”
Green Week events will also take place throughout June beyond Brussels, with hundreds of partner activities across Europe and in Turkey, China and the United States, including workshops, public debates, seminars and exhibitions.
The programme includes a Youth Policy Dialogue where young people from across Europe will meet Roswall, as well as the annual LIFE Awards, which recognise environmental and climate projects funded through the EU’s LIFE Programme.
The conference is due to end with a screening of the documentary "Becoming Nature Positive" followed by a discussion with Marco Lambertini, former Director General of WWF International and Convener of the Nature Positive Initiative.
