Presentation given at the RUW Foundation opening activity of 2016

1. History of environmentalism
Erik-Jan van Oosten
Junior Coordinator RUW
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

2. Content:
• What are the “Shades of Green”?
• The history of green thinking
• Overview of current situation
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

3. Lightest shade
• Every problem can be solved with technology
• The economy needs to grow forever
• We can consume ourselves into sustainability

4. Darkest shade
• Technology is the root of the problem
• And so is the economy
• Actually: civilisation itself is the problem
• Capitalism (or more generally: Extractivism)
need to be overthrown if we want to survive.

5. Timeline
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism
Early history

6. “Activist” roots: Don Quichot
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

7. Rousseau vs. Hobbes
Before civilisation
mankind lived in
abundance and
harmony with nature
Life was solitary, poor,
nasty, brutish and
short and in no way
better before we
became civilised.
Noble wilde! Savage!
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

8. Timeline
Early history
Essay on the
principles of
population
Wealth of
nations
Jevons
Paradox
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

9. Thomas Malthus
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

10. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

11. John miur
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

12. Timeline
19th and begin of 20th century
Essay on the
principles of
population
Jevons
Paradox
Wealth of
nations
1950’s
Green
revolution
modernism

13. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

18. Timeline
19th and begin of 20th century
Essay on the
principles of
population
Jevons
Paradox
Wealth of
nations
1950’s
Green
revolution
modernism
1970’s
Limits to
growth
Silent spring
Small is
beautiful
Tragedy of the
commons
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

19. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

20. Limits to growth
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

21. K. Hubbert, Peak Oil
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

22. K. Hubbert, Peak Oil
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

23. Determinist doomers:
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

24. Determinist doomers:
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

25. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

26. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

27. Timeline
19th and begin of 20th century
Essay on the
principles of
population
Jevons
Paradox
Wealth of
nations
1950’s
Green
revolution
modernism
1970’s
Limits to
growth
Silent spring
Small is
beautiful
Tragedy of the
commons
1990’s
Brundtland
report
Rio Summit
Golden
triangle
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

28. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

29. The second-last successful global
conference on climate change
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

30. Timeline
19th and begin of 20th century
Essay on the
principles of
population
Jevons
Paradox
Wealth of
nations
1950’s
Green
revolution
modernism
1970’s
Limits to
growth
Silent spring
Small is
beautiful
Tragedy of the
commons
1990’s
Brundtland
report
Rio Summit
Golden
triangle
Post 2008
Degrowth
Sharing
economy
Climate justice
ecomodernism
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

31. Double crisis (1/2)
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

32. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism
Double crisis (2/2)

34. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

35. RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

36. Post 2008 environmentalism
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

37. Post 2008 environmentalism
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

38. Post 2008 environmentalism
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

39. Post 2008 environmentalism: the
Urgenda court case
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism

40. New era?
RUW opening Activity – #ShadesOfGreen – The many colours of environmentalism