Program
Time: 19:30 – 20:30
Date: 21 May 2020
Language: English
Climate change is seen as the challenge of the 21st century. All over the world, students and young activists are taking to the streets to demand climate action. The issue is now high on the political agenda. With the European Green Deal, the European Union wants to invest 1,000 billion euros in the coming years to make the European economy green and emission-free by 2050. Cities, including Amsterdam, also have ambitious plans to become fossil fuel free, re-use waste streams and improve the air quality in the city. The key words in this debate are circularity, sustainability and energy transition.
However, the climate crisis raises another issue: who benefits from this green transition? Keeping the planet livable goes beyond making it sustainable; it is also about creating a more just and equitable society. Our current climate crisis has a long history rooted in colonial exploitation of natural resources. Communities most impacted by the effects of climate change have been fighting against the fossil industry for decades. On the level of the city, a just transition is important for making sure that sustainability is not only affordable for the rich and that the costs of a green policy are shared fairly. Climate justice thus requires a critical redesign of our economic system and more democratic control over resources.
During this session of the Parliament of the Future, we examine how the shift toward sustainable energy is linked to the transition to a just society.
We will be joined by the following guest speakers:
> Chihiro Geuzebroek (Filmmaker, climate justice activist
and co-founder of Climate Liberation Bloc)
> Roos van Os (policy maker Fearless Cities, municipality of Amsterdam)
Climate Liberation Bloc talk at AGM Shell 2019
The Guardian – Amsterdam to embrace ‘doughnut’ model to mend post-coronavirus economy
Rewatch:
About Parliament of the Future
The Parliament of the Future is an initiative by Netwerk Democratie and is co-financed by the European Commission programme EU and ME.
