“It's easy to get depressed about all the challenges the world faces today and about how little you can do as an individual,” says Klomp, who has been programme director for sustainability at the university for three years. She understands this feeling, especially when considering the opposing forces. “Many parties have a lot to lose. They want to defend their interests and continue doing business as usual. Sometimes this can make you feel discouraged.” But she believes that we are now approaching a ‘tipping point’ towards a more sustainable world, in which everyone can play a role, including Radboud University.
What is the role of the university in attaining this sustainable world? “The tasks we face are so complex that a solution is only possible if you can really understand the problems. That is our role: to ask questions, and to provide knowledge based on scientific insights.” She points out the advantageous position of the university with many scientific fields related to the problems of climate, migration, overpopulation, inequality and the availability of water and food.
Asking the right questions
The concern for a better world is entirely compatible with the university's identity, says Klomp. “Caring for the world and your loved ones is a key value of Radboud University. We have put our cards on the table: we want to contribute to this more sustainable world.” The university does so by asking the right questions in each scientific domain and by offering students knowledge with which they can make their own contribution. “From now on, we promise that all students will be confronted with sustainability in their studies. We are looking at the perspectives that are suitable for each domain. In behavioural sciences, for example, studying sustainable consumer behaviour is a promising approach.” She also warns against the pitfall of easy solutions. “For complex issues, anything that is presented too easily or as a quick fix can take us further away from a solution. As a university, we explore this complexity and show that multiple solutions are possible.”
The Radboud Impact Day is an emphatic invitation to tackle the challenges together, emphasises Klomp. “With this message, we transcend ourselves. Many institutions are already working on this, and it is more effective to join forces. The urgency cannot be overstated: it is not two minutes to midnight, but five minutes past midnight. To turn back that clock, we have to work together.”
Tip: Follow our sustainability lectures
“Several times a year, in cooperation with Radboud Reflects, we hold public lectures in which scientists from various disciplines shed light on a sustainability issue. Keep an eye on the agenda or subscribe to the email newsletter.”
Marije Klomp (Amersfoort, 1984) studied Dutch law at Utrecht University (2003-2007), followed by a three-year master's degree in Humanistics (2007-2010) at the University of Humanistic Studies where she also obtained her PhD in 2020. She is a member of the supervisory board of Het Groene Brein, an expertise centre for a circular and inclusive economy.