Environment Working Group

As sustainability challenges arise with instability around the globe and rising climate change and emissions effects are more and more noticeable, the Working Group on Environment wishes to bring clarity to environmental topics at the European level. Our initial scope of research will englobe policies that can bring the EU to a net-zero state and ensure a sustainable future: urban governance and sustainability, Just Transition, economic tools like carbon taxes and ETS, and strong environmental law that gives juridical personhood to natural ecosystems (e.g ecocide). This areas are multidisciplinary and a possible bridge between Working Groups, aiming to produce research in partnerships with them. 

Lastly, we wish to develop EST events for key EU weeks (EU Week of Regions and Cities, EU Energy Week, EU Green Week, etc.) and partner organisations.

Marta Schwarz – Head of the Working Group

Marta is currently pursuing an Urban Environmental Management master’s program at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. With a focus on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), she is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions for urban challenges. Her passion for urban environmental issues was sparked during an internship with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in Prague. This experience solidified her commitment to addressing urban mobility challenges and fostering environmental change within cities. Beyond academics, Marta actively collaborates with youth organizations like SDSN to empower Mediterranean youth in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Remina Aleksieva

Remina is a young policy professional, having recently completed her MSc in International Public Policy. She holds a BSc in Psychology and has engaged with behavioural science research projects looking at sustainable behaviour, collective action and environmental policy. She has worked on a research project investgating the role of media framing of climate change and on local-led sustainable development solutions in her home country, Bulgaria. Remina’s interests encompass the fields of Just Transition, the implementation of renewable energy sources (RES), European commitments for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and and the role of youth in environemntal policy. She is passionate about bridging the gap between research and policy in a way that transcends academic disciplines and informs effective policy responses.

Elisa Dageville

Currently in her first year of the Master’s program in International Relations at Sciences Po Rennes (France), she has decided to get involved with EST to further her knowledge about the environment. She is looking to engage in discussions about European environmental policies and professionalize herself in this field. Having just returned from a year abroad, Elisa wanted to apply to EST in order to maintain an international aspect in her academic journey and gain insights from foreign students on environmental and European Union matters.

Marta Travella

Marta, a recent graduate in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the Free University of Bozen (Italy), is set to embark on the Erasmus Mundus program in Economics of Globalisation and European Integration (EGEI). With a multilingual background and experiences in Italy, Finland, Germany, and France, Marta brings a global perspective to her studies. Her true passion lies in driving sustainable solutions to improve people’s lives.

Beatriz Gomez Navalon

Beatriz Gómez Navalón has just graduated with a master´s degree in Diplomacy and International Relations in the Spanish Diplomatic Schools with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. Moreover, she holds a master’s degree in mediation and conflict resolution. She has engaged in multiple volunteer projects focused mainly on the environment and education. This background allowed her to explore multiple contexts and work with multidisciplinary teams, as a complement to her bachelor studies in Journalism and International Relations. Inspired by her European Solidarity Corps adventure, she found her zeal for the influential workings of the EU. Fueled by this passion, she embarks on a transformative traineeship at the European Commission. Her overarching ambition? To contribute collaboratively, making a positive mark on the world. As a dedicated member of the Working Group, she’s diving deep into the vast realm of environmental research and writing, driven by the urgency of today’s overwhelming environmental concerns.

Maghnia Bouanati

Maghnia is a recent graduate of the College of Europe in Warsaw, where she completed a Master’s in European Interdisciplinary Studies. During her time there, she gained extensive knowledge in climate issues, green energy technologies, geopolitics of climate change, and the concept of a just transition. Having also obtained a Master’s in Human Rights and European Law in Paris, Maghnia brings a unique approach to addressing climate issues, combining law, politics, and the promotion of human rights. Her work focusses on identifying strategic partnerships between the European Union and other key players like Africa and China. She also provides recommendations for achieving a just transition not only within the European Union but also in other parts of the world. This year, she aims to continue along the same trajectory, analyzing topics like climate migration, labor migration, raw material supply, as well as solar and hydrogen energies.
 

Maximiliaan Paalberg

Maximiliaan Paarlberg, originally from the Netherlands, is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Political Science, specialising in European and International Governance at the Free University of Brussels (VUB). His academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in International Politics from the University of Leiden, followed by a Master’s degree in European Integration and Global Studies at the Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE), spanning across Berlin, Nice, and Istanbul. (He is deeply interested in the Middle East and EU-Turkey relations. Moreover, through his academic and professional experiences he became passionate about sustainability and the EU’s climate policy. His main focus is on the interplay between geopolitics and climate change policies.)

Annika Borrmann

Annika recently completed her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Geography at the University of Glasgow, UK. She is originally from Germany but lived in Scotland for the past four years. She is passionate about environmental sustainability and her studies have provided her with a strong foundation of environmental economics, geographies of development, climate policies, economic implications of environmental decisions as well as research skills. During her studies, she also engaged as biodiversity promoter for the university’s Environmental Sustainability Team and she is currently doing an internship in sustainable finance and cleantech solutions to the climate crisis.