The Green Illusion
Maarten van Andel

During the last DDW weekend at BioArt Laboratories,  Maarten van Andel sparked a debate on the measures we take to mitigate climate change. During his lively presentation on the 26th of October, he challenged people to think outside the box by shedding light on the facts and fiction of sustainable energy and circular economy.

Maarten presented several arguments to illustrate that climate targets, and changing towards a circular economy, will have unpopular consequences for our lives. This is seldomly mentioned in the public debate, sustaining a collective green illusion in which critical questions are unwelcome. Staying in this like-minded bubble will hamper our creativity and innovation, Maarten argues. From this perspective, he provided insight and several take-home messages to show we ourselves can effectively contribute to a better environment.

Maarten studied chemistry, and has ample experience with sustainability in the high-tech industry. He is author of De Groene Illusie, a critical book on the energy transition. Presently, he is director at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven.