‘Waiting until everyone is on board is like swatting an elephant to death with a cotton bud, then burying it with a teaspoon’

First of all, what does the Youth Climate Movement do?

“The Youth Climate Movement aims to build a bridge in the climate debate between young people and politicians in The Hague. We organise numerous events for young people, such as a youth summit in the House of Representatives last November, which saw a hundred young people negotiating climate policies. We also teach climate classes in secondary schools. At the heart of our organisation is the Youth Climate Agenda: our vision of a sustainable 2040. That vision has been endorsed by more than seventy different youth organisations (including Erasmus Verbindt, eds.). We travel around the country with it, including to The Hague.”

What exactly is your role as president?

“I’m the face of the organisation. I’m the spokesperson, I speak at events. I’m also responsible for the organisation itself: I make sure the board functions well and the volunteers are having a good time. Last but not least, I’m highly involved in politics. We now have a government that – for the first time in the Youth Climate Movement’s existence – wants to do less about the climate than the previous government. For me, that was an extra motivation to become the president. I thought it would be a very interesting and important challenge to keep the conversation going.”

How did that work out?

“With the previous government, the agreement was that we would meet with the Minister every six months. We weren’t sure if the new minister wanted to do the same. Immediately after the new government took office, we sent a letter saying ‘this is us and this is what we think’. We received an invitation to visit very quickly. At least the door isn’t closed, so that’s something.”

You say you think that keeping the conversation going is an important challenge. From that perspective, how do you view Extinction Rebellion’s demonstrations on the A12?

“What we always say is: they kick the door open, we step through it. It’s important for the climate to be put on the agenda, and Extinction Rebellion does that well. But once that’s done, there’s still a lot of work to do. My reservation about their actions is that they don’t leave much room for conversation. They scare people who are less concerned about the climate, and many protesters refuse to come to the table until their demands are met. In short, I’m not against Extinction Rebellion – I think all voices need to be heard – but having conversations is ultimately the biggest part of the transition.”

What role do you see for the university in the fight against climate change?

“It’s important for the university to be a place where young people learn about sustainability. The climate should be a topic in every degree programme. I’m now studying for a master degree in Medical Humanities in Utrecht. In that programme, I’m looking at ethical issues surrounding the health effects of climate change. I didn’t find that combination here in Rotterdam, where the focus is more often on the economic perspective. I do think that’s a barrier to giving more attention to the climate – or at least to the ethical side of things.”

Chair of the Executive Board Annelien Bredenoord claims it is difficult to get everyone on board with giving more attention to the climate – especially students.

“Waiting until everyone is on board is like swatting an elephant to death with a cotton bud, then burying it with a teaspoon: it takes forever. Scientists have identified huge problems, but in the climate debate those insights are often questioned. I think you have a duty as a scientist to actively speak out and say: guys, maybe we should move in this direction. Especially on your own campus.”

On the one hand, you argue that it is important to keep the conversation going, but on the other, you say we should not wait until everyone is on board. That sounds contradictory.

“I’m a great believer in the small steps that lead to a big result. We might not be able to make the entire campus vegan, but right now there’s no menu anywhere at EUR that doesn’t have vegetarian options. That used to be unimaginable.

“People often believe that if they want to do something for the climate, they should become vegetarians or protesters. But I want to encourage people to think: what are my life skills and how can I use them to benefit the climate? Say you’re really good at organising events or creating Excel files; there’s a massive need for both in the climate movement. Every little bit helps, and you’ll find that it’s the things you’re best at that help the most.”