POSTPONED: Prepare for Impact: Addressing Climate Change through Global Partnerships.

Due to circumstances the event has been postponed until further notice, more information will follow later.

What value does international collaboration bring to the efforts in addressing climate change? How will this crisis redefine and shape our partnerships? And how can universities have more impact on the political and economic debate on climate?

On June 25th, the Department of International Strategy and Relations of the University of Groningen will organize an inspiring panel discussion. Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, will open the session by presenting on the current global context of climate change, the impact of Covid-19 and the economic crisis, and what challenges these pose to governments, the private sector and academia, and for their interaction.

The panelists will discuss the role of global cooperation to address climate change by bringing their perspective from the fields of climate diplomacy, institutional leadership, academic research and knowledge transfer.

Speakers

• Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy (Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy). Read more about Marcel.
• Prof Cisca Wijmenga, Rector Magnificus (University of Groningen). Read more about Cisca.
• Prof Jacquelien Scherpen, Director Groningen Engineering Center. Read more about Jacquelien.
• Marieke Abbink, Director New Energy Coalition. Read more about Marieke.

Register

We warmly invite you to participate, please make sure you register below. After registering, you will receive an automatic confirmation. A few days before the event you will receive a link that'll lead to the livestream where you can follow the panel discussion.

Biography Marcel Beukeboom

Marcel Beukeboom is Climate Envoy for the Netherlands. As Ambassador-at-Large he represents his country at multilateral meetings on the global stage and in targeted bilateral missions. When in the Netherlands he connects the international climate agreements with local action, thus helping to raise awareness for climate change and inspire people to play their own role. Within the broad climate agenda, Marcel attaches great importance to the role of the financial sector, agriculture and food, and involvement of youth. Previous postings lead him to South Africa and the United States, where he worked in different capacities in the Dutch Embassies.

During his studies in International Relations at the RuG, Marcel was one of the founding members of a political party, and its first member in the City Council of Groningen. The city and the university still have a special place in his heart.

Biography Cisca Wijmenga

In 2019 Prof Cisca Wijmenga took over from Prof Elmer Sterken as the new Rector Magnificus of the University of Groningen. The Rector Magnificus is appointed for a four-year term. She serves on the university’s executive board and is the highest academic member of the University, guiding the scientific vision and quality of the university and presiding over formal ceremonies ranging from the opening of the academic year to the inaugural lectures given by newly appointed full professors. All PhD degrees are ceremonially conferred on behalf of the Rector Magnificus.

Cisca is a Spinoza prize recipient for her research into the genetics of complex diseases, particularly celiac disease, and is the Lodewijk Sandkuil Professor of Human Genetics in the Department of Genetics. She is a member of the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW), the Academia Europaea, and the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

Biography Jacquelien Scherpen

Jacquelien Scherpen, Professor of Discrete Technology and Automation of Production at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, is one of the world’s leading scientists in the field of systems and control technology. She received her PhD from the University of Twente in 1994 and was with Delft University of Technology from 1994 to 2006. She is currently the director of the Groningen Engineering Center. She contributes significantly to the development of new technologies that are indispensable for highly socially relevant applications, such as robotics, digital factories and smart energy grids. In 2019, Scherpen was appointed Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. She is currently president of the European Control Association and the Captain of Science in the Dutch High-Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM) top sector.

Biography Marieke Abbink

Marieke Abbink (48) is CEO of New Energy Coalition, a knowledge and network organisation in the field of energy transition. Abbink joined New Energy Coalition as of February 2020; in her role with New Energy Coalition she is also the director of NEC’s Business School for energy professionals, Energy Delta Institute (EDI). In her previous job Abbink was director of the RBO Foundation, an organisation that deals with issues at the interface of education and the labour market.

Abbink is married, has 2 daughters and lives with her family in the town of Grijpskerk, near Groningen. In her spare time she is a member of the Supervisory Board of Huis voor de Sport in Groningen (promotional ngo for sports & lifestyle) and a member of the national programme council of the NCP NLQF (classification and certification of employee education).