Credendo Trade Forum 2019: climate change: is it a threat or a new economic challenge?
On November 13th, the fifth edition of the Credendo Trade Forum took place, with the presence of more than 400 participants.
The Credendo Trade Forum has become in five years the annual Rendez-vous of the Belgian export community. The quality of the keynote speakers and the topics contributed to the large attendance of exporters, corporates, banks, ambassadors and other stakeholders.
A European Green Deal to come
The programme started with Declan Costello, Deputy Director-General of the DG Economic Affairs of the European Commission, who announced that the Commission is heading towards a European Green Deal. This announcement is to be placed in the framework of one of the topics of the Credendo Trade Forum 2019: climate change challenges.
Governments need to invest more
Declan Costello participated together with chief economists from international banks in a debate about the historically high level of debt. This debate was in relation with another topic of the Forum, i.e. global economic challenges. One interesting conclusion was that governments need to invest more in the economy to curb the rise of populism.
Four main risks for the future, including climate change
Credendo is well-known for its country risks analyses. The 2019 edition was an opportunity for Nabil Jijakli, Deputy CEO of Credendo, to underline four main risks for the near future: geopolitical tension, trade war, large financial vulnerabilities and climate change. He also presented the upgrade and downgrade since 1st January 2019. About climate change, Raphaël Cecchi and Jolyn Debuysscher identified Africa, Asia and South America as regions that will feel the strongest impact. Especially natural disasters can have a devastating impact on the economy of a country according to their researches.
A large majority of Belgian exporters is willing to combat climate change
Another recurring highlight of this event is the release of the results of our yearly export barometer. It reveals that 9 out of 10 exporters believe that they should be taking measures to combat climate change. Other main learnings are to be read in our press release.
How to envision sustainability through the lens of profitability?
Bertrand Piccard was the so-called “guest star” of this edition of the Credendo Trade Forum. He did not disappoint the audience when he declared that the worst is not “to fail” but “not to try”. To demonstrate this inspiring statement, he referred to his flight with the Solar Impulse airplane, a plane without any fuel. It looked impossible, but he did it, leading captains of industry to think differently about how to innovate. The ultimate purpose should be to reach climate goals.
Four Belgian captains of industry had already previously confirmed that technology is there as well as willingness. Nevertheless, finance is key to make the Green Deal happen.
Credendo in the media
The Trade Forum had significant presence in the media. Several testimonials of clients – in both newspapers and TV, statements of our management, analyses of our economists, comments of journalists were reported in several media outlets such as La DH, Belga, La Libre Belgique, Metro, Le Soir, Vers L’Avernir, La Première radio, RTL info, TXF, Kanaal Z, Canal Z, L’Echo, Trends and Trends- Tendances.
Click here for the reportage in Dutch by Kanaal Z on the Trade Foum 2019, and here for the reportage in French by Canal Z.
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1 Dirk Terwedwe, CEO of Credendo
2 Declan Costello, Deputy Director-General of the DG Economic Affairs of the European Commission
3 First debate panel, from left to right: Amid Faljaoui, Koen De Leus, Pernil Henneberg, Declan Costello
4 Nabil Jijakli, Deputy CEO of Credendo
5 Second debate panel, from left to right: Stephan Windels, Jean-Luc Maurange, Caroline Ven, Philippe Van Troeye, Björn Crul
6+7 Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation
8 From left to right, Jean-Luc Maurange, Nabil Jijakli, Bertrand Piccard, Philippe Van Troeye