The political quest for desirable science

Sometimes the fact that science is (also) political is quite obvious. For instance, the European Commission wants to incorporate research and innovation into its geopolitical mission as a ‘critical asset’ for greater economic competitiveness and more influence on the world stage. Researchers are also expected to assist politicians by ‘providing scientific evidence to underpin policy … Read more

National Demo against Racism and Fascism

21 March in Amsterdam: National Demo against Racism and Fascism A glimpse at everydays news is enough to see that racism and fascism is everywhere around us. It is infecting fascist demonstrations, local politics, national politics and the so-called leaders of the so-called liberal world. It is spreading, and it is destroying everything we love. … Read more

May 14. Launch SR-XR Museum tour

SR is working together with XR Arnhem in the Museum collaboration group. Our aim is to reach and mobilise a large group of people for climate action. The premise is that the extreme positions on the climate denial side cannot be changed. Therefore the goal is to move people who are neutral and positive towards the … Read more

Bonaire and climate justice

iStock Stephen Pedersen (@stephencpedersen)

The residents of Bonaire have won a court case against the Dutch state concerning climate change. According to the judge, they are not being adequately protected against the consequences of climate change. This ruling marks an important milestone for climate justice within the Kingdom and highlights the importance of addressing climate and biodiversity issues on … Read more

Nuclear energy? No, thanks!

Like previous coalitions, the Jetten cabinet wants to focus on nuclear energy, but this is controversial and unsustainable. Uranium is finite, and expensive power stations require state guarantees. They have low emissions, but long-term nuclear waste storage is a problem. With a construction time of 15-20 years, they cannot contribute to decarbonisation quickly enough. Solar … Read more

Global warming is accelerating

A new study shows with 98% certainty that the rate of global warming is increasing. The 1.5 °C warming threshold could be reached in the coming years, in violation of the Paris Agreement. To prevent global warming of 3 °C, the use of fossil fuels must be phased out immediately. The research by Grant Foster … Read more

The tiger mosquito is on the rise

Chikungunya is an infectious disease that causes, among other things, severe and prolonged joint inflammation. For a long time, we considered chikungunya, malaria, dengue and Zika to be (sub)tropical diseases that posed little threat to Western Europe. But is that still true? Recent research sheds light on whether climate change is bringing these diseases our … Read more

Why I’m active: Sergej van Middendorp

As a scientist, I have learned how to evaluate knowledge, view it critically and transform it into new knowledge. And as a practitioner, I have learned how to apply knowledge. Climate science paints a grim picture of the future: if we continue on our current path, we are irrevocably heading for social collapse. Social science … Read more