From Nijmegen to The Hague by tandem for the UN Climate Change conference

Martijn Visser during a UN meeting in in Bonn. © Martijn Visser

On Monday 11 June, Visser and Clemens started cycling from Nijmegen. On their tandem, they will visit Wageningen, Utrecht, Woerden, Gouda, Rotterdam and The Hague, where they will arrive on 15 June. On their way, they will speak with secondary school pupils, students and other young people regarding climate change (the ‘Talanoa’ dialogue). The input that Visser and Clemens will collect will be presented to Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague and will also be taken to the UN Climate Change conference in Poland.

Pantarijn, Ceres, WUR

The tandem will arrive in Wageningen on 11 June. Visser and Clemens will discuss matters with a class of the Pantarijn secondary school, the WUR Student Council, student association Ceres, study associations, Mayor Geert van Rumund and President of the Executive Board Louise Fresco. The youth representatives will continue toward Utrecht on Tuesday afternoon.

Paris

Recently graduated WUR alumnus Visser (MSc Forest and Nature Conservation) is on his second and last year as UN youth representative. ‘With the current measures, we will not be able to fulfil “Paris”. Instead of the agreed upon maximum of 1.5 degrees global warming, we are headed for 3.5 degrees. We will enter discussions with young people to see what measures they could take themselves and what they expect of the government.’

Campus of the future

The discussions should not be too abstract, Visser thinks. ‘We want to remain within the experience range of the young people. And discuss with the Student Council what the university could do, and what the campus of the future would like. With the secondary school pupils, they rather want to discuss what expect their town or city to look like in ten years.’

Visser did not practice for the bicycle tour. ‘It will be a challenge, especially on a tandem. But I really look forward to it.’ The NOS (Dutch Broadcast Foundation) on channel 3 will follow the cycling week.

Additional reading (partly in Dutch):

• ‘Policymakers don’t listen to young people’

  Student – 16 November 2017 14:55-He was the first young person to speak at a UN conference on the Sustainable Development Goals. He is a regular visitor to Dutch ministries and…

• Student becomes UN youth representative

  Student – 27 October 2016 14:23-Martijn Visser, a Master’s student of Forest and nature conservation, was elected UN youth representative for sustainability on Monday evening….

• WUR student verkozen tot VN-jongerenvertegenwoordiger

  Student – 25 October 2016 09:33-Martijn Visser, masterstudent Forest and Nature Conservation, is maandagavond tijdens de nacht van de VN, verkozen tot VN-jongerenvertenwoordiger…