2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Institute for European Environmental Policy, the family of which IEEP UK is part. Founded in 1976 by Konrad Von Moltke, IEEP’s work has been instrumental in some of the founding environmental principles and laws in both the European Union and its member states, providing inspiration and leadership globally. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the UK, where IEEP set up offices in 1980 and remains active to this day.
Over this year, and together with our sister organisation in Brussels, we will be celebrating some of these achievements which range from influencing the Aarhus convention, championing the adoption of the precautionary principle, to nature restoration regulations, emissions trading schemes, vehicle emissions rules, and many more. Later this month, we will putting up the first in a series of monthly blogs, working with authors who have played a big role in IEEP’s history. These will draw lessons from the past, applying them to IEEP’s current work and to the challenges facing our shared environment today.
Here are some of the highlights of our plans for our anniversary year:
• Webinar: Is the UK-EU Reset on track for the environment? (5 February)
• Webinar: Air Quality: Can the UK feasibly reach WHO targets? A devolved perspective (26 February)
• Think2030 Conference: Celebrating 50 Years of IEEP, Brussels (21 April)
• IEEP UK Parliamentary Reception and 50th Anniversary Celebration, London (Spring 2026)
• IEEP UK Annual Conference (Autumn 2026)
• Blog series and booklet celebrating 50 years of IEEP
• …and further special events and activities still to be announced!
To receive updates on these activities, you can sign up to our newsletter. If you’d like to tell us about your experiences working with us and what you love about IEEP, get in touch with us here at IEEP UK – we will be collecting your words together for a big digital birthday card.
Photo by Simon Wilkes on Unsplash