The case for growth – Why progress still matters, Forum for Economic Dialogue

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“Europe has failed to make the transition from catch-up growth to frontier innovation.” 2025 Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion (Collège de France, INSEAD) is one of the leading thinkers on creative destruction, how innovation replaces old technologies and drives economic growth. In his talk, he will explore what this means for Europe and the growth potential of AI. Join us and engage with leading international economists to debate why economic progress still matters in the future. Zurich Lecture for Economics in Society: What drives growth today?
Europe faces critical crossroads: sluggish productivity, demographic shifts, and rising climate costs collide with the massive potential of AI. Can innovation reignite prosperity without compromising climate goals? Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion will unpack what Europe's economic challenges mean for the future and how AI could change the game. Panel: Greener, richer, happier? Economic growth and what it’s worth
Three leading economists will approach this question from very different angles: David Hémous (University of Zurich) is known for his research on innovation, arguing that technological progress is indispensable if economic growth and ambitious climate goals are to go hand in hand.
Diego Känzig (Northwestern University) has reshaped the debate on the economics of climate change by showing that its long-term costs – and with them the social cost of carbon – may be far higher than previously assumed.
Betsey Stevenson (University of Michigan) is internationally recognized for her research on well-being and labor markets, demonstrating that economic growth continues to improve people’s life satisfaction even in the world’s richest countries. Register for free: https://www.ema.uzh.ch/en/register/forum-2026-growth-progress.html