Previous Signature Projects
The belief that contributing to a just and sustainable world requires cooperation is deeply rooted in who we are. If our research is to make a genuine contribution to solutions, we cannot do without practical experience. In our Signature projects, researchers therefore worked closely with NGOs, artists, actors, and civil society organisations. This was sometimes challenging – it turns out everyone speaks their own ‘language’ – but always valuable. It makes our research more relevant and, as one of the researchers involved put it, “it enriches your perspective on the issue”. The first Signature projects started in 2023 and have now been completed. What did they achieve, and what impact have they had? Read the stories and interviews.
Conceptualising Ecocide
In the current era of unprecedented threats to the environment, the push to make Ecocide an international crime is gaining momentum. This project explores how the concept of Ecocidecan create breakthroughs in biodiversity protection, with a keen eye for indigenous rights. Next to a Knowledge Hub and policy briefs, it aims to use mock trials (simulations of a legal trial using real examples) as experimental and creative test setting.
Whose Ocean?
The ocean is crucial to life and climate, but its voice is barely heard in law and policy decisions. While the UN explicitly speaks about “our ocean”, it is completely unclear who the “our” refers to. This project will produce a charter and organize an assembly to give the ocean a meaningful voice in international and national discussions, inspired by similar initiatives, bringing together academics, with artists and writers.
Resourcefulness
The energy transition is causing a steep increase in mining of critical minerals, which are essential for renewable energy technologies. This also intensified the extractive processes often resulting in human rights violations, environmental degradation, and the perpetuation of global inequalities. The Resourcefulness project aims to highlight the role of finance institutions in resource extraction, and how their role (re)produces (un)just outcomes of the energy transition.
People's Energy
Energy transition is not just about technology; it's about people. Across the Netherlands, more than 800 local energy communities are stepping up to take control of energy production and decision-making, bringing neighbours together to create sustainable solutions. But how do these communities establish trust and legitimacy in the eyes of governments, partners, and their own members? This is the central question driving the Signature project People’s Energy.
Rethink Hydrogen
A holistic approach on hydrogen in sustainable energy systems. This research aims to address challenges in production, storage, and application to make hydrogen a viable alternative to fossil fuels. By integrating interdisciplinary approaches, the project examines innovative technologies and real-world implementation strategies that could accelerate the transition to clean energy. With hydrogen seen as a cornerstone of a carbon-neutral future, the project’s findings could have significant implications for industry and policy worldwide.
Projects highlighted moral dilemmas surrounding sustainability
The Signature projects sometimes yielded very concrete outcomes. For example, a recommendation on assessing ‘ecocide’ was incorporated into a policy review on that subject. And the standard for energy communities, which the People’s Energy project team helped to draft, is due to be published shortly. But the impact often lay in raising awareness; in making the moral dilemmas associated with sustainability issues tangible and relatable. One project group achieved this through an exhibition, another through a dialogue tool, and a third through a theatre experiment. Finally, these unique collaborations led to stronger ties – between the arts and science, and between science and practice. This is a valuable development: we desperately need one another when tackling sustainability issues.