Frequently asked questions
A great deal of climate research is carried out in the Netherlands, but not all the research that is needed is being conducted. Climate change calls for large-scale systemic change, such as the energy transition, but we must also adapt in other areas. Making a meaningful contribution to systemic change through research is challenging, and requires entirely different approaches to collaboration, research planning and funding.
The climate issue is broad and complex. On the one hand, you need a great deal of specialist knowledge across a wide range of fields; on the other hand, you also need integrated knowledge – an understanding of the interactions between different sectors and issues. The knowledge that does exist does not always reach society, where the people who actually need to get to work to bring about the necessary systemic transitions are based. However, joining forces within the scientific community, and between the scientific community and society, is essential if we are to achieve, in good time, the transitions needed to ensure a future-proof Netherlands.
What makes KIN innovative is the way in which we approach the problem of climate change: in a mission-driven way. To fulfil our mission, we focus on facilitating new forms of collaboration between science, practice and policy – forms that enable us to genuinely help people on the ground to bring about systemic change. We organise and fund these collaborations in a way that takes a far-off sustainable future as its starting point, whilst at the same time being very much focused on what we can do right now to bring that future closer. To realise the KIN’s ambitions, science itself must also change.
Many of these innovations are already taking place on a small scale, but there is a lack of national coordination, as well as a lack of systematic application of innovative methods. As a result, there is still little coherence between the various initiatives, activities and research in the field of climate, whilst it is precisely integrated solutions that are needed.
Without targeted investment in integrated knowledge, we will not make progress in the complex systemic transitions required for a climate-neutral, sustainable society by 2050. The fact that the design of the built environment and mobility has consequences for, amongst other things, nitrogen and biodiversity is a good example. This has not previously been examined in a holistic manner. To do so, you need more knowledge – and a different kind of knowledge. This is what the KIN is working on.
For the KIN, the focus is on the climate crisis, not the nitrogen crisis. However, both crises share some of the same root causes, so solving one can also help to solve the other. The KIN does, however, focus on these underlying causes of the climate crisis, such as the current extractive, fossil-fuel-based economic system. We are exploring alternatives to this system that also address, as far as possible, other problems, such as the biodiversity crisis and the nitrogen crisis.
Of course, it is not the case that there is no collaboration at all. On the contrary, there is a lot of collaboration, but climate-oriented research in the Netherlands is nevertheless fragmented, and not mission-driven. Funding is through competitive calls, which does not naturally encourage collaboration. There is competition for grants, often involving small-scale projects with small budgets. Most research is done in sub-areas and solutions.
The climate issue is broad and complex. On the one hand, you need a lot of specialist knowledge in a lot of fields, but on the other hand you also need integral knowledge, knowledge about the interactions between different sectors and issues. That knowledge is hardly there.
You have to start somewhere; we cannot afford to lobby for years until a European or global KIN gets off the ground. We have to set an example now to get the rest to go along with this approach.
Of course, we will also definitely cooperate with other countries/global. There is also an urgent need for knowledge on how to realise the transition in the Netherlands, taking into account specific context/characteristics. Moreover, a significant international component is foreseen in the KIN programme, aimed at cooperating with developing countries to also build the capacity needed locally to cope with climate change. Indeed, these countries are often even more severely affected by climate change than the Netherlands.
Many countries are currently considering ways to cope with climate change. You can see that different countries choose forms that suit the character or size of the country and the institutions already in place. Initiatives are being taken, ranging from national research centres to cross-discipline networks and from organisations focused on research to organisations focused on advising government.
In the Netherlands, the task force concludes, joining forces is most necessary. None of the other initiatives abroad is as comprehensive as KIN. KIN is unique because of the combination of the three tracks: programme, pact and centre. Nonetheless, in the follow-up steps to further shape the KIN, we also want to identify best practices from international examples and include them.
No, it is about the future of our country. Without a solid foundation of integrated and trans-disciplinary (=involving parties outside science from the start) knowledge, it will be extremely difficult to implement climate policy and achieve the climate goals. This is certainly true for the medium and longer term, as this is all about fundamental system transitions.
Incidentally, the intention of the KIN is emphatically not to replace existing research from current budgets, but rather to make research more serviceable to society and to tap into new resources for this purpose.
At the moment, NWO has provided a budget for the first year to set up the KIN and do the initial research. We are also in conversation with the responsible ministries about funding for the longer term. This Advisory Report gives an indication on the expected financial long term needs.
You can easily reach us by email at contact@hetkin.nl. You can also visit our Team page to find out who to address your email to if you have a question about a specific topic or activity.