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Monday 16 June 2025 - Sustainability dialogue & book launch - Can Environmental Politics as We Know It, Deliver?

'It is time to admit, environmental politics as we know it cannot deliver', reads the first sentence of Captured Futures – Rethinking the Drama of Environmental Politics, written by Hajer & Oomen. Academics working in the sustainability field share an anxiety about the state of the environment. But how best to act on our worries? What is the role of science and policy making? Are there alternative fields of activity that could (help) ‘bend the trends’? What do we make of the resurgence of moral protest? What role could there be for the financial sector, worried about its own (financial) sustainability?

A sustainability dialogue on the future of environmental politics. After a kick off by the authors, we discussed the topic with prof. Liesbeth van de Grift (Environmental Humanities) and Rak Kim (interdisciplinary social scientist at Geosciences) and all those present.

For more information about the book, please visit this page.

Tuesday 27 May 2025 - Break the divide between nature and people - Can we have ecologically smart cities?

Cities around the world face the growing challenge of maintaining a healthy balance between their development and the natural environment. To address these challenges, urban planners often use the concept of smart cities. At the same time, there is a broad push to bring nature back into cities, often in the form of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). NBS are crucial for creating a healthy and resilient environment for people, animals and plants. As part of this approach, there is also a drive to review the ontology of the divide between humans and nature, which assumes that ‘humans’ are fundamentally different from and superior to ‘nature’, contributing to environmental and social injustices. During this dialogue, we will focus on the question: Can we break the divide between nature and people and have ecologically smart cities? Join this sustainability dialogue and engage with our speakers and the audience!

 (Macquarie ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��, Sydney, Australia) kicked off the dialogue with a presentation on the role of urban forests. The values of urban forest and greenspace in our cities, for people and biodiversity, is increasingly recognised. Cities around the world are adopting canopy targets and greenspace policies, as well as implementing nature-based solutions to mitigate pollution, flooding and heat. Yet our urban forests are under threat from increasing urbanisation and climate change. She provided examples from the Australian experience and highlight current approaches to building resilience of our urban greenspace.

Katharina Hecht shortly pitched on ecosystem services in buildings,  gave a critical perspective on nature-based solutions and transformative change and Vivian Goerlich talked about urban life from the perspective of liminal animals. After these pitches we had a conversation on questions as:

• There is a broad push for more nature in the city but what does this mean for people living in the city?

• What is nature in the era of the Anthropocene and are urban citizens ready to co-habitate with nature?

• Do we really embrace nature and renaturing cities or we instrumentalise nature as another ‘fix’ or even ‘tool’ to urban neoliberal agendas?

• Can we combine smart, technological solutions with a more ecological and more holistic approach?

Wednesday 5 March 2025 - Facing the Global Resource Crisis: Your Role as a Change Maker

What does our way of living cost to the planet? Do we have the resources to feed the world, build our cities, or get from A to B? We will gather to discuss the Global Resource Outlook, with , lead author of the GRO 2024. It was developed by the International Resource Panel of UNEP to which some of our UU colleagues contribute. 

We encourage you all to come to this event as it speaks to some of the core challenges we face. In the first round we will discuss the content of the report, introduced by Hans Bruyninckx. He will introduce the use of ‘provision systems’ as a lens to connect resource statistics to the world of social activities and policy making. After the introduction by Hans, , Director-General of the Environment at the Ministry for Infrastructure and Waterworks and , professor of energy and resources at Copernicus Institute, will respond and reflect on the intro.  

In the second round Hans, a political scientist by training and a former director-general of the European Environment Agency (EEA), will reflect on his strategy and tactics to make the report performative: what did he run into? What are his reflections on how to organize the science-policy interface?  (Scientific Director of Pathways to Sustainability, lead coordinating author at IPBES and lead author for the upcoming IPCC report on Cities) and  (professor of Global Climate Change and winner of the Spinoza Prize, and who has worked for IPCC, IPBES and IRP) will pick up on Hans’ reflections. 

This is an excellent opportunity to discuss how we see our role as academics and policy makers in a rapidly changing political context. Moreover, we hope to help create better bridges with the world of policy making and politics to work towards sustainable futures.

Thursday 19 December 2024 - Sustainability Dialogue - The Court Case of Milieudefensie versus Shell
In November ‘24, the Hague Court of Appeal published its judgement on the lawsuit between Milieudefensie and Shell. The days afterwards UU scientists expressed different perspectives on the impacts of this lawsuit on reducing dangerous climate change and the effectiveness of litigations to accelerate energy transitions. To broaden this discussion, we invite you to this dialogue: You are welcome to participate/learn from the exchange of different perspectives on climate litigation, to increase mutual understanding while we leave space for disagreement. The dialogue will start with presentations from UU scientists giving their perspectives on plausible impacts of the litigation, from the stance of companies, regulators and policies for climate justice. Next, we open the floor for an inspiring dialogue.

Unfolding ecological crises and growing social injustices require universities to radically rethink their role. Universities have unique capacities to drive just transformations through their education, research and societal position, however, they are currently ill-equipped to realise this purpose. How can universities be reimagined to drive transformative climate justice?

We had an engaging discussion on reimagining the university. With scholar-activist , Professor of Climate Justice, National ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� of Ireland Maynooth, to speak about her forthcoming book . Based on decades of experience in higher education, Jennie offers a provocative vision of how universities can accelerate the shift towards more sustainable and equitable futures. 

The keynote was followed by an interactive imaginative exercise in which we collectively identify absurdities of the present and seeds for change to transform our universities.

We also welcome four distinguished panelists from Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� to reflect on how the university can take your ideas forward to drive transformation on campus:

• Karin Rebel, Chair Professor Sustainability Science & Education and Director of Education, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development
• Elaine Mak, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance and Professor of Legal Theory
• Niki Frantzeskaki, Chair Professor Regional and Metropolitan Governance and Planning and Scientific Director Pathways to Sustainability
• Ozan Alakavuklar, Chair Organization Studies and Co-lead Transforming Cities Research Hub, Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance

The  describe the 7 essential principles about the ocean that all people should be aware of. They were carefully developed with the purpose that these principles form the minimal level of understanding that is necessary to comprehend and protect the (water) planet we live on. We would like to invite a diverse group - ranging from natural to political scientist, communicators and practitioners - to have an open discussion on the implementation and effectiveness of these principles in the Netherlands.

Programme

15h30 - Introduction to the Ocean Literacy Principles

Together with , professor in oceanography and public engagement, we will discuss the concept of “ocean literacy” and shortly address the seven UNESCO principles of Ocean Literacy.

15h45 - Keynote – how do you film the ocean?

In late 2019,  (host) and  (director) started developing a five part series on oceans for “Klokhuis”, the most prominent children’s educational television series for well over 38 years. A quick search through Klokhuis’ database led to a startling conclusion: oceans had never been a topic! The North Sea? Yes. Space? Yes. The odd marine animal? Yes. Far away planets? Yes. But the oceans as a whole? Never! Time to set the record straight... Janouk and Mike will show clips from the series that aired in 2021, filmed in the Netherlands, the Caribbean and the Azores, and explain how they tackled their main concern: how do you film the ocean? And what are you going to say about such a huge topic in less than 50 minutes in total?

16h00 - Plenary discussion

During the plenary discussion we aim to collectively explore the application of the ocean literacy principles within the Dutch context, evaluating their efficacy in raising awareness about pressing ocean-related issues. Moreover, we will examine the comprehensiveness and consensus on the content of these principles, comparing top-down approaches with bottom-up initiatives such as the KlimaatHelpdesk. The conversation will be initiated by pitches from our guests:

•  and  from  will stress the importance of involving local communities for effective action. Wavemakers United has the vision to address critical issues surrounding water and sustainability through education, awareness, youth involvement, innovation, job access, advocacy, and enhancing local frameworks.
• Remco Schaap en  from  share how they implement knowledge on the ocean in class.
•  (PhD candidate in paleoclimatology and glaciology) is the national coordinator of 
  . He will share how they create a network of people that is growing exponentially who can pass on high quality climate education in order to reach a social tipping point that will help guide us to a low carbon world.
•  (PhD candidate in physical oceanography) shares his perspective on the , a platform that provides peer-reviewed answers to climate-related questions posed by society.

16h30 Breakout session

In smaller groups we will dive deeper in questions like;

• How do you think these 7 principles will contribute to ocean literacy?
• Who do you think should be reached by these 7 ocean literacy principles?
• How could/should ocean literacy be developed beyond the creation of this principles?
• What activities could be done by our institutions to foster ocean literacy?

17h00 Wrap up and drinks

This Sustainability Dialogue was a thought-provoking dialogue on sustainability and economics – an event designed to challenge, discuss, and bridge views about the role of economic research in sustainable development. Is it possible to fit the changes that are needed for sustainability in current economic (market) systems? Is current economic research equipped to address the urgent sustainability changes and contribute to efficient economic systems in an inclusive society within planetary boundaries?

We invited you at the heart of USE economic research (Adam Smith Hall Canteen) to join us for an engaging discussion on the role of academic economics in navigating the path towards sustainability. Three USE economists pitched their perspectives on sustainability and economics:

• Inge van den Bijgaart gave her perspective on the role of state interventions to internalise sustainability in economic systems ;
• Frank Verbeeten gave his perspective on the role of companies in sustainability transitions and what that means for accounting for sustainability to inform decision-making;
• Erik Stam gave his perspective on improving conditions for regional ecosystems for sustainable entrepreneurship (a.o. ESMEE-project).

Following these insightful pitches, we welcomed Giuseppe Feola (Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development), to respond from a degrowth perspective on (economic) research for sustainable development.  (Social and Economic Council) responded from a SER well-being economy perspective on societal knowledge needs and resulting research opportunities.

Universities are not only the engine of thought and solutions for sustainable development - their activities shape current and future societal approaches to social and environmental sustainability - but are also arenas to experiment in complex social transitions.

The polycrises of our time demand that we transition the complex structure of higher education towards future-proof education, practice, operation and societal inclusion. This transition poses many questions, such as: 

• What decisions will allow us to steer away from ‘unsustainability lock-in’?  
• What could the sustainability university of the future look like? 
• How can existing examples and visions of sustainable, visionary and future-proof universities guide prefiguration, planning and realization of a future-proof university? 
• How do we coalesce the many ambitions within UU and create momentum for an (or many) ambitious and transformative sustainability approach(es)? 

These questions have a multitude of answers, and decisions made in the present and coming years have the power to make-or-break how future-proof the university will become. Prefiguring (imagining) a radically innovative and sustainable university of 2050 is one method of back-casting from where we would like to be to the changes and actions needed in the present. Guided by case study examples and speakers with bold ideas concerning the future of the university and the society of which we are a part, participants will engage in a prefiguration exercise around a sustainable future UU of 2050. 

Speakers

Adele Tufford from the Urban Futures Studio will spark our imaginations by discussing existing visions of Sustainability Universities. Ozan Alakavuklar from the Utrecht School of Governance will then discuss Utrecht’s role as an anchor institution for social change as a part of sustainability transformations. Karin Rebel, Professor in the Faculty of Geosciences and Director of Education at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, and Sebastiaan Steenman, Professor and Director of the undergraduate school at the Utrecht School of Governance, both from the Sustainability Education and Engagement Community, will explore how sustainability can be embedded in all education programmes; and the roles that inter- and transdisciplinarity, such as community engaged learning, could play in that development. Lysanne van der Lem, director of the Sustainability Office, will discuss sustainability strategy, vision and ambitions at the level of UU governance. 

Guided by the speakers, participants will then engage in a prefiguration exercise where a sustainable future UU of 2050 is imagined.

The urban-rural divide is of all times, but seems to be increasingly mentioned in diverse discussions in recent years. The plans to tackle the nitrogen problem led to considerable unrest in Dutch society. This resulted in a huge election victory for the BoerBurgerBeweging in March. Many saw this as the result of a growing division between city and countryside or the `common people' and the urban elite: farmers produce the food for city dwellers, who then decide what the countryside should look like. Six months after the elections, we look at what is left of this supposed separation between city and countryside: what is it about when people talk about a divide? To what extent is there actually a divide or are urban and rural areas more intertwined than thought? 

 will introduce us to the idea of the urban-rural divide: What is it about when people talk about a divide? Where does the idea historically come from and how does it take shape in our society? Liesbeth is professor of International History and the Environment. She specializes in the history of political representation through the lens of rural and environmental governance in the twentieth century. 

Sybe de Vries will share something about European legislation and the effect on the regional level. How much space does European legislation give to find solutions fit for a region? Sybe is professor of Public Economic Law. His research and education focus on EU Single market law, the twin green and digital transition of the EU Single Market, the social dimension of the EU internal market and the interconnection between EU free movement law, fundamental rights and public interests, including environmental, health, consumer and cultural interests.

A possible bridge between the urban and rural might be found in regional food strategies:  (Amped) will talk about developments in the province of Utrecht. Currently Lucie is working on enhancing transparent multi-level collaborations to foster regenerative, robust and regional food systems in The Netherlands as well as the EU.

The discussion will be led by Evert Meijers. In the essay `It’s the politics, stupid: het Rijk en de spreiding van welvaart over het land’ (in Dutch, ) he addresses the regional distribution of welfare in the Netherlands and its political dimensions. Evert is associate professor in Economic Geography. In his work he aims to develop empirically underpinned territorial strategies that make cities and regions better able to satisfy human and societal needs.

The globalized food system plays a major role in some of societies’ most pressing challenges. It is a major contributor to biodiversity loss, climate change, disruption of the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and phosphorus, and land use change, which currently all exceed our planetary boundaries. At the same time, the diet associated with this food system brings major health risks linked to the high share of animal-based products, low share of fruit, vegetables and nuts, and dominance of highly processed foods rich in fat and added sugar, while lacking essential nutritional quality.

It is clear that drastic changes in our food system are needed if we are to solve these issues. But do the changes needed to tackle the environmental impact align with those needed for a healthy society? What would diets that are healthy for the planet, animals and humans look like? How can the current food system be restructured to produce those diets?

These are the main questions we will discuss with Prof Detlef van Vuuren (UU and PBL),  and . Moderator is .

In this Sustainability Dialogue, we went beyond narrow understandings of citizen engagement as ‘public participation’. Instead, we sought to open the conversation around the questions i) ‘what’ citizen engagement in the energy transition (in the future can) consist of, ii) what this implies for the forms, processes of citizen engagements, and iii) what this suggests for ways in which researchers can contribute to more meaningful and effective forms of citizen engagement. The topic will be introduced through short pitches by Annelies Huygen, professor Energy Markets and Regulation (REBO), Irene Bronsvoort, PhD candidate 'Rethinking citizen engagement for an inclusive energy transition' (Urban Futures Studio & Copernicus, GEO), Sanne Akerboom, assistant professor of Regulation and Governance of the Energy Transition (Copernicus Institute, GEO) and was moderated by prof. dr. Albert Meijer. 

Irene Bronsvoort discussed her experience with developing the documentary ‘New Connections’ as a part of her PhD research into citizen engagement in the energy transition. The documentary is used as a ‘reflection tool’ in conversations with citizens, policymakers and others. The documentary can be viewed online.

While sustainability may at first appear to be an all encapsulating concept, it is also contested. Underlying the term are deeply political questions about the tensions between economic, social, and ecological goals; between the Global North and the Global South, and between future generations and the present. The new community Critical Pathways seeks to address such questions out of a deep conviction that only through critical (self-)examination and pause are we able to rethink and move forward. 

This Sustainability Dialogue addressed two such questions and discuss the following positions:

1. The intrinsic value of non-human nature should be recognized and underpin sustainability agendas more so than is currently the case.

2. Despite consensus that global warming and environmental degradation are caused by human activities, it remains difficult to hold people accountable within existing frameworks. Therefore, we need to rethink the categories of responsibility and accountability, as well as violence and agency.

Speakers Merel Soons, Professor of Plant Dispersal Ecology & Conservation and Vice-Chair of Future Food Utrecht; Franck Meijboom, Associate Professor of Ethics of Human-Animal Interaction; Daan van Uhm, Associate Professor in Criminology, specialized in Green Criminology; Susanne Knittel, Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature and former Chair of the Utrecht Young Academy; Liesbeth van de Grift, Professor of International History and the Environment.

From the various areas of expertise within Pathways to Sustainability - energy, agriculture, nature, water, cities, living, working and economic developments - we will look at the ideal picture of the Netherlands in 2100, and in particular what challenges and obstacles we will encounter along the way. Are these challenges the same per area of expertise, different or conflicting? What difficult choices have to be made now and in the future to achieve a common goal? With the experts Gert Jan Kramer, Marjolijn Haasnoot, Martin Wassen, Hens Runhaar, Peter Pelzer and Ron Boschma.