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Farewell address Rik Leemans upon retiring as Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis
On 11 April Rik Leemans gave his farewell address, entitled 'Don’t discipline us for transdisciplinarily assessing global challenges'. His lecture is now available for download.
His lecture gave an overview of his career and the lessons he learned.
He ended with:
"Measures to limit or adapt to climate change, and reduce or reverse biodiversity decline are manyfold but not very effective. Fortunately, more integrated strategies are emerging. For example, the 8th Environment Action Programme is the EU’s common agenda for environmental policy until 2030. It builds on the Green Deal. It aims to decrease EU’s material footprint to safeguard precious natural resources and reduce biodiversity and climate impacts. Although some groups oppose these environmental strategies, hope is on the horizon!"
"To all my dear colleagues, your research and teaching should thus not only be interesting and innovative but also policy and societal relevant! We must be disciplined to address these wicked problems."
> Download the booklet of the inaugural lecture of Rik Leemans