SwS Festival 2023: Energy Transition

OBA Oosterdok - 20th of June

Various dialogue sessions took place during the Science with Society Festival in the OBA Oosterdok, including one on the energy transition. This dialogue session started with a documentary about citizen involvement in the energy transition in a Rotterdam neighborhood. It showed how a neighborhood can take on the energy transition together, by using each other's talents and network. This documentary sparked conversation. Participants at the table included researchers, sustainability coordinators from the Municipality of Amsterdam and social workers.

A much-discussed topic in this dialogue was how we can best use the talents already present in the community to stimulate the energy transition. In many neighborhoods there is a sense of togetherness and there is a lot of knowledge about the neighborhood and its residents. Shouldn't we use this more? Can we have someone who knows the neighborhood well and who can motivate and help other residents play a more prominent role in this, instead of someone from the municipality who briefly tells us what is going to happen? Another point raised here was tackling fundamental problems in the neighbourhood: if you really want to make an impact, it will be at a different level or through other processes and social workers will be needed, for example.

Another important point is making the energy transition comprehensible. It is important that the transition is translated into concrete steps: what does the energy transition really mean for residents? What will change in their house, or their energy bill? It was also pointed out that there is often a lot of information, but it is not always presented in an appropriate manner. The information is often difficult to find and understand - and not everyone is fluent in Dutch or English. Those present mentioned that reaching residents is often a time-consuming process. Yet large organizations and companies often seem to think that this can be done quickly and that the energy transition can be quickly established. It is precisely due to the limited provision of information and a reduced confidence in (government) information that reaching various residents is more difficult than hoped.

So we need to think about how we can reach the resident and include them in the energy transition. This must be connected to the network that is already present in the area and to the needs of all residents, so that everyone can participate in the energy transition in their own way. We need to talk to people, not about people.

OBA Geuzenveld - 22nd of June

On June 22^nd,  HvA and VU students organized the evening ‘Making Geuzenveld Green’ in the OBA in Geuzenveld. Residents could go here for practical advice from energy coaches and the FIXbrigade. Because there is a lot of uncertainty about the energy transition, according to residents, this practical side of the evening was experienced as very pleasant. Round table discussions also took place and a great deal of input was received from the various residents and organizations present about what the energy transition means for them. In this way, the table sessions ensured a flow of information from organizations to residents, from residents to organizations and from organizations to organizations.

At this local event, as during the dialogue sessions in the OBA, the provision of information and accessibility of the information was mentioned as an important factor that needed improvement. The municipality wants to inform residents about the energy transition and what the consequences and opportunities are for them, but letters won't reach everyone. It is therefore important to find ways to address as many people as possible and to make the information as understandable as possible.

Concrete measures can be taken from the discussions, such as involving residents in the process at an early stage. Residents indicated that dialogue sessions and round table discussions can help with this. This will mainly have to be done in places that are already frequently visited in the area: the library, a bakery or even a hairdresser. Designate a trusted person from the community, this person knows what is going on in the area and can maintain contact with the municipality or other organizations. Here too, the following applies: talk to people, not about people.

OBA Ganzenhoef - 22nd of June

During the Science with Society event on the 22^nd, Energie Lab Zuid-Oost held a session on energy transition with an emphasis on people's experiences on this subject. This mainly concerned ways of saving energy: what people are already doing themselves, but also what they need to do better.

Because we were located at the Shopping Center next to Ganzenhoef station, there was a lot of involvement from residents. Residents could share suggestions and needs, and explain to what extent they managed to save energy on certain points, such as by taking a short shower or insulating well. Based on this, conversations arose about how people can deal with this and why it is sometimes difficult.

The turnout was good. By standing at the mall, many more people could be involved in this session than could have been done in the OBA. Residents were also very free to listen and then walk on. While some clearly indicated that they could be very energy efficient on all points, it emerged several times that (reducing) energy consumption is directly related to poverty. Some measures simply require time and money. The municipality and housing associations also play a major role in this. Even though this session was about people's own relationship to the energy transition, it is important to recognize that it is not an individual, but a societal challenge.