Commissioner Jessika Roswall engages with young minds on environment, security and future of our planet

On 21 February, Jessika Roswall, EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, hosted a Youth Policy Dialogue in Solna Gymnasium, Sweden. The event brought together over 400 high school students onsite and an additional 300 students joining remotely from 12 schools across Sweden. 

The initiative aimed to involve young people in discussions on the EU’s environmental policies, ensuring that their voices are heard at the European level. The dialogue was interactive, featuring live polling of the audience, a question-and-answer session involving 22 students, and direct engagement with Commissioner Roswall.  

Students raised questions on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from Europe’s water strategy to the EU’s action to protect endangered species, solutions to tackle the increasing amount of textile waste, and the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the environment.  

In an instant poll, Commissioner Roswall asked the young attendees which actions they would like the EU to take to better protect the environment. Most students replied they would like to see the EU lead global efforts to protect our planet. Better protection of endangered species and support for sustainable agriculture and forestry came in a close second and third place.  

The dialogue also gave the students an occasion to raise other topics, including security, cross-border crime and the future of the EU. The polls showed strong support among the pupils for both a larger union welcoming new Member States and for increased EU cooperation on security matters.

Speaking about the event, Commissioner Roswall said:

“I am happy to have met so many committed young people here in Solna. Many good questions, thoughts and concerns were raised. That’s exactly the goal of our youth policy dialogues – to connect with young people whose lives are directly impacted by decisions made in Brussels. This is also important for the future. The young people here today are helping to shape the future of Europe and our Union. In the challenging geopolitical landscape we face, it is more important than ever that we stand up for the EU's democratic values.” 

The dialogue is part of a wider ambition from the Commission to reinforce the EU’s commitment to listening to young people’s perspectives and working together to build a sustainable and resilient future. 

The outcomes of the Youth Policy Dialogue will be summarised in an upcoming report which will be available online. Insights from the event will contribute to the Commission’s policymaking, ensuring that the views and contributions of young people are taken into account. 

Background 

The Youth Policy Dialogue with Commissioner Roswall is part of a series of discussions organised by the European Commission with each Commissioner in the first 100 days of the new Commission’s mandate. This initiative will be repeated annually. 

For more information on Youth Policy Dialogues, visit the European Youth Portal.