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The 21st century presents a fascinating paradox: never before in its history has humanity reached such an advanced and refined level of technological development, but never has it come so close to the ecological precipice and global collapse. If this contradiction is to be overcome, political ecology must focus on two priorities: the relocalisation of the economy and the democracy of self-limitation.

The decisive question for the coming decades is not ‘if’ but ‘how’ the global economy will grow. We are currently in the middle of a green revolution in which millions are already participating. To advance, however, we need effective environmental policy at national and international levels. And above all, we need a European Green New Deal.

Placing our society and economy within an ecological framework will require a radical rethink of what ‘progress’ means as to date this has become synonymous with economic growth. This will mean a change in our relationship with technology and a rebuilding of our social relations.

These four debates are gateways to penetrating the transnational complexity of the European environmental debate, interconnecting national public spaces where debates on the fundamental issues for our future are still being carried out in an overly compartmentalised fashion.

Can Croatia’s entry to the European Union create an opportunity to change the country’s economic and ecological paradigms? That potential exists, but will only succeed if new political alliances are created that bring together a broad range of social movements.

The neo-liberal Taliban have brought Europe to its knees. For the first time in its history, the European idea has been weakened to the point that its survival is now at risk.

A problem cannot be solved using the same thought that created it.

Negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (the EU-US Free Trade Agreement) have the potential to undermine environmental, social and labour rights. As Greens, we must work to make the process more transparent and fight any attempt to lower standards.

A broad public debate and continuous campaign is needed to ensure that governmental invasion of our private information is kept to a minimum, but the PRISM revelation may be the tipping point that brings this about.

The social unrest in the Swedish suburbs is the result of increasing social cleavages.