Opening of the Centre for Sustainability and Society (SUSY)

On 7th of June the Centre for Sustainability and Society (SUSY) will have its official opening accompanied by prominent key note speakers. The interesting talks will be within the field of the new research centre, among others, sustainability, environment and society.

Theme for the opening event: The role of non-state actors in building new alliances and new knowledge for sustainable societies

Sustainability is one of the greatest challenges of our time. While the field of sustainable studies continues to be dominated by natural sciences, it is increasingly clear that the transition to sustainable societies requires tremendous and urgent changes in the way our societies are organized, which confers a central role to the social sciences.

While the climate and sustainability agenda was driven mainly by governments until the 2009 COP15 meeting in Copenhagen, civil society and market actors have been in the driving seat since then. Our societies are now characterized by a blossoming of new and innovative initiatives taken by various types of communities, cities, local governments, regions and private corporations. However, (national)environmental policies continues to very much focus on incentives meant to affect individual behaviour instead of tapping into existing and  emerging communities, corporations, etc. working for sustainability. Policy-making appears to be slow and to lag behind, which calls for new ways of organizing knowledge sharing and decision-making. There is a need for new alliances between citizens and policy makers, an alliance in which collective associations, eco-communities, environmental movements and progressive corporations have a prominent role to play.

Program for the opening event