In the post-war era, economic growth seemed almost self-sustaining, remaining resilient even after the 1973 oil crisis. Public debate then centered not on generating growth but on limiting it – a debate famously sparked by the Club of Rome’s The Limits to Growth and still echoed today. Now, however, fear has shifted: many expect the next generation to be worse off than the last.

With Western European GDP growth hovering near a modest 1%, pressing questions arise: Is Europe caught in a structural growth crisis? Will artificial intelligence spark a new productivity paradigm or merely disrupt markets? How hard will demographic decline weigh on prosperity, and what will climate adaptation ultimately cost?

These are the questions this Forum sets out to address, bringing together leading researchers to move beyond rhetoric and examine what the evidence truly shows.

This is a free, public on-site event with access via livestream on YouTube. On-site access will be granted to registered guests on a first-come, first-served basis as space is limited. Your registration will not guarantee a seat in the auditorium. The livestream is presented in association with the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR).