During the lecture series 'What is the Anthropocene? - Exploring transdisciplinary collaboration for sustainable change', speakers and participants will discuss how interdisciplinary research can contribute to challenges of the planetary poly crisis that are part of what scientists are debating is the Anthropocene. Each lecture consists of two expert presentations which will be followed by discussion and is open to anyone at VU and beyond.
On 19 September, we will explore the transition pathways as outlined by Jan Rotmans:
What are the transition pathways that will take us out of those unsustainable trajectories (e.g. climate change) that are currently filling the (inter)national news media on a daily basis? Transitions in society may have longtime duration, such as the abandonment of smoking, while the current planetary urgencies require (much) faster progress along different pathways.
Our two speakers will zoom into two of the transitions: Dr Mathieu Blondeel will talk about the geopolitics of the energy system transformation, approaching the energy transition from a twin geopolitics-security security angle, with room also for the highly politicised nature of energy transitions. Dr Kristiaan Kok will then continue with his talk about transition pathways towards sustainable and just food systems and mostly discuss, from a transition studies perspective, pathways in food systems. By building on some of his recent work, he will also include the inherently political nature of such pathways, and ways of governing innovation through transdisciplinary efforts.
In addition, transdisciplinary workshops on the road to the COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are organised, you can find them here. During these workshops, stories for the days of COP28 will be developed by connecting science, human health, art and activism; the Netherlands and United Arab Emirates; the Global North and Global South.
All events and the Fellowship of the Anthropocene are coordinated by the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute, all events are free and open to anyone interested.