• AMS Institute,
• External knowledge institution

• Academic

• Sustainability,
• Agriculture,
• Food,
• Energy,
• Nature & Environment,
• Democratisation

Keynote: The good, the bad, and the ugly of climate mitigation and adaptation

By Dr. Paul Behrens

'We systematically underestimate how fast climate change can hit us. And thereby we systematically underestimate how fast we can do something about it.' With this statement Dr. Paul Behrens, associate Professor at Leiden University, opens his keynote. Here you can watch his keynote.

During his presentation he focusses at two main themes; our energy and foodsupplies. The cost of living will over time get more and more expensive, due to climate impact. Leading to strikes, food riots and political instability. 'This is avoidable', Beherns says. 'Looking at all the research done, we pretty much know about what benefits mitigation and climate adaptation.'

In order to change fast, we need to make climate change understand able. With a complex problem, there is messiness in decision making. Behrens sees great potential in citizens assemblies; 'let them lead the discussions to how we want to attack climate change', and calls out to decisionmakers for trusting people's deliberation. Finally, Behrens stresses that the biggest thing we can do is to communicate about everything we do. Essentially it is making climate change about you.