Reserve your ticket on the website of Paradiso.
Program:
- 19:00 doors open for cocktails
- 19:30 live music by Global Charming
- 20:30 talk by Eveline van Leeuwen
Balancing human needs and sustainability
Cities are the main hubs of human activity, both in terms of social activity, and of consumption and production. But how do the needs of urban dwellers actually relate to the sustainability of our planet?
With a little more than 50% of the world population living in cities, they are responsible for 75% of the global energy demand and 80% of the emitted greenhouse gasses. Obviously, cities depend on resources from their hinterlands to meet their needs, often resulting in large ecological footprints. While cities are often considered ‘engines of economic’ growth, they are also places with the largest social inequalities. In most Western European countries, both the richest and the poorest people live in cities, with unemployment and poverty levels being higher compared to the more rural areas. And although sustainability is high on the agenda of cities like Amsterdam, sustainable innovations are often merely accessible to high income households.
In this edition, Eveline van Leeuwen will focus on the concept of doughnut cities, or urban environments where both human needs and sustainability goals are met. How can improved urban-rural interactions contribute in forming these doughnut cities? And why are not only technical innovations needed, but also social and institutional innovations? Finally, she will discuss the need of partnerships between science and societies, clarifying with a case study of Amsterdam.
About the speaker
Prof.dr.ir Eveline van Leeuwen is Scientific Director at AMS Institute and Chair of Urban Economics at Wageningen University & Research. Her research tackles urgent urban challenges—energy transition, circular economy, and regional food systems, with a focus on urban-rural dynamics.
Eveline uniquely combines micro-level approaches, like agent-based modeling, with macro-economic frameworks, drawing on pluralist economic theories. Beyond academia, she advises local, national, and international bodies, including the OECD, Amsterdam Economic Board, and Circular Plastics NL, shaping sustainable urban futures.