Eurocommissioner and former Minister of Finance Wopke Hoekstra will open the academic year at the Eindhoven University of Technology. On 2 September TU/e will kick off the academic year on the theme ‘The power of of green growth’.
“To tackle climate change, the EU has set itself clear rules to be climate neutral by the year 2050″, says European climate commissioner Hoekstra.
“This transition needs to be fair: we must ensure that our citizens and companies can flourish, in safety and with economic success. Innovation, industrial leadership in clean technology, global competitiveness, job creation and support for the most needy- those are the conditions to continue to work towards socially and economically powerful and effective climate measures”, says the euriocommissioner.
Hoekstra will be joined by climate scintist Heleen de Coninck. De Coninck is professor socio-technical innovation and climate change professor at the TU/e. ZShe is sceptical about the concept of green growth.
“She argues that the concept is too narrow, that growth itself is not measured reliably, and ignores the need to limit the growth is consumption. Green growth seems to imply we can continue as we are without major changes. What is needed, however, is a system change.”
Grey shrinkage
“System change means reduction, so grey shrinkage. This requires far-reaching economic changes. When you mention green growth those aspects should be taken into consideration, too. Whether the term green growth will prove to be a useful concept or a smokescreen to hide from us the difficult decisions that must be taken will become clear when we know how it is applied”.
Chairman of the board Robert-Jan Smits says he is happy with the line-up for the opening of the academic year. Smits thinks the theme for discussion is highly relevant. “Through green growth we can make our society more sustainable and promote economic growth at the same time.”
National interest
“A number of green start-ups at our university and in the Brainport-region are ahead of the game in the development of clean technology,” says Smits. “In the interest of the country as a whole, thye need to get the opportunity to grow.It is vital that the government invests in these start-ups, as well as in education, research and innovation. It will be interesting to share our views with the two speakers.
A third speaker on September 2nd is Ingrid Thijssen, chairperson of the employers’ union VNO-NCW. Besides speeches there will be a debate about climate change and energy transition. The participants are Sylvia van Es (President of Philips Nederland), Maurice van Tilburg (director Nationaal Groeifonds at the ministry of economic affairs), Marike Stellinga (economist and journalist for NRC), Mark Verhagen (CEO of TU/e-spin-off RIFT) and Robert-Jan Smits.
