Although away from home for more than 10 months now, I do follow news from the Netherlands. The past months, multiple prominent Dutch people have been interviewed regarding climate change; old politicians, CEO’s of multinationals and chairmen’s of universities. Their overall message: the energy transition is going too fast, harming the Dutch industry. Living in a money driven world, their message isn’t strange. Investing in climate change costs money without a clear return of investment (besides no-brainers like solar panels), making Dutch companies less competitive against non-Dutch companies. But it is a focus on the short run, as money is just a tool to live. In a world with extreme weather, money will not let you buy sunshine.
In a world with extreme weather, money will not let you buy sunshine.
Also often in the news: climate protests. The amount of climate change protests is growing day by day. Looking at pictures of protests, I find it fascinating to see that all layers of the population are sitting on a blocked highway in the Netherlands. It is a brave thing to join such a protest, facing (short) jail time, fines and public rejection. Reading many messages on different social media channels, lots of people are responding very negative against these kinds of protests. But, besides some individual actions, I haven’t seen any protests pro climate change.
I haven’t seen any protests pro climate change.
Following “Peoples’ Climate Vote”, a study performed by Oxford University in collaboration with the United Nations, it became clear that nearly !!70%!! of under-18s worldwide said that climate change is a global emergency, compared to 65% of those aged 18-35, 66% aged 36-59 and 58% of those aged over 60. The children of today are the CEO’s, lobbyists and lawyers of the future, so the good news is that with as high as 70% of under-18s seeing climate change as a global emergency, the right people will be in the end at the right positions.
The right people will be in the end at the right positions
And let us not forget the adults, the current working force, as more than 58% of them see climate change as a global emergency. Speaking to a lot of people, I get the feeling that most of them take sustainability into account for a new job or even switch jobs in favor of. It also helps that with a record low unemployment rate of 3,5% (August 2023) in the Netherlands, companies have a hard time finding skilled people. The ones looking for a new job probably want to know what the future employer is doing on sustainability; some kind of a self-resolving problem.
The ones looking for a new job probably want to know what the future employer is doing on sustainability
In addition, I think it is good that old politicians, CEO’s of multinationals and chairmen’s of universities are interviewed now and then so they can put some fuel to the fire (I know..). Besides making themselves and the company they work for less popular among the younger generation, they give, although negative, energy to those fighting against climate change. For me it was one of the reasons to write this article.
Making themselves and the company they work for less popular among the younger generation
My message to you regarding sustainability: do what you are doing now! Read this kind of articles and keep widen your perspective on sustainability by talking to different people. Climate change is a very complex topic with no perfect solutions. Therefore we need all, even crazy, ideas to battle the biggest threat we have ever faced as human beings.
I believe we still can!
