Barn Talk: Beyond the Future

4 Feb 16:00 - 17:15
Zernikelaan 17 Groningen.

In 1972, the Club of Rome, a group of researchers, presented the report “The Limits to Growth,” which focused on the depletion of the earth's resources. The report was developed by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The report had a major impact on environmental awareness worldwide. It was later followed by the publications Mankind at the Crossroads and Beyond the Limits to Growth. How do we view the future now, in 2026? What measures have been and are being taken that have a positive impact on the environment (and environmental awareness)? Join the discussion during the Barn Talk on February 4!

Click here for more info!

Event

Speakers

Wouter van Dieren has been involved in national and international environmental activities since 1968. He gained fame by bringing the Club of Rome report to the attention of the press and the public. He was co-founder and chairman of Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) and founded the Institute for Environmental and Systems Analysis (IMSA). He is a member of the Club of Rome and the World Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In this Barn Talk, Wouter reflects on the history of environmental awareness up to the present day. He offers us a rich overview of developments over the past 50 years.

In the second part, Barbara Verwayen and Mariken Gaanderse join in to take up the baton for the future. They translate the visions into the practical implementation of sustainability thinking in the Northern region. What are companies doing, what are they not doing, and what issues are they facing, despite the need for sustainability? How can we shape our environment so that new and sustainable companies also find fertile ground to take root and grow? In this step, we draw on the extensive experience and insights of Wouter van Dieren.

Barbara Verwayen is cluster director of Cluster6, a partnership between nine sectors in the manufacturing industry, waste processing, data centers, and the offshore industry, and the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (KGG). Drawing on her previous roles at Avebe and Nobian, she shares a wealth of experience and practical insights into industrial applications.

Driven by a passion for pioneering and stimulating potential, Mariken participates in the discussion to provide insights as director of BeStart, an incubator for cleantech startups.

Sign up

The Barn Talk is on Wednesday, February 4, and starts at 4:15 p.m. (doors open at 4:00 p.m.).

Attendance at the Barn Talk is free of charge. Registration is required to reserve a spot in the Energy Barn (first come, first served). After the Barn Talk, everyone is welcome to join the networking reception, which includes drinks and snacks.

Sign up for Barn Talk: Beyond the Future? Click here for more info!