The future was on the agenda
Big thoughts were thought and topics of global interest were talked about at AGRO’s seniorVIP meeting in Flakkebjerg.
Sustainable development goals, biodiversity and AGRO's future strategy were topics that took up most of the time at AGRO’s seniorVIP meeting in Flakkebjerg on November 13-14, 2018. Approximately 50 people took part in the meeting which aimed at gaining more insight into the UN’s sustainable development goals, incorporating them in AGRO’s coming strategy, and providing input to the strategy process.
Professor emeritus Steen Hildebrandt began the session by presenting his views on the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals based on his book ’Verdensmålene – vor største mulighed og udfordring’ ('Sustainable development goals - our greatest opportunity and challenge'). He explained that the 17 goals are a further development of the UN’s eight ’Millenium Development Goals’ adopted in 2000, and that they have 169 targets and 200-300 indicators.
Professor emeritus Steen Hildebrandt gave a talk about the UN's sustainable development goals based on his book. Photo: Janne Hansen
The sustainable development goals are political goals but everyone can contribute to fulfilling them. The world must change its development into one that is more sustainable.
- We have progressed to fast and in too many and wrong directions, said Steen Hildebrandt. He stated that 25 percent of the global production that has taken place in the past 2000 years has taken place in the period 2000 to 2010 – and that the latest 10 years of development have for the most part not been sustainable – and that this development is increasing.
We can find solutions when we pull together
There is hope. The global community has previously shown that if we pull together we can reach common goals, such as protecting the ozone layer or battling poverty, hunger and child mortality.
- The goals can be used all over the world and by all world leaders but they must be translated from the very general level to more specific goals, said Steen Hildebrandt. This is precisely what is currently taking place in ST and AGRO in that the strategy process includes incorporating the sustainable development goals in our thoughts about the future. Among other things, we will discuss how AGRO can contribute to the sustainable development goals. According to Steen Hildebrandt, this is a loyal and societal goal to have in our strategy.
After the inspiring talk, the seniorVIPs worked in groups the rest of the day and the following morning. Working within sections and across sections the participants were asked which of the 17 sustainable development goals AGRO can contribute to and how. In addition, the groups carried out SWOT analyses of AGRO’s research, public sector consultancy, education, talent and business collaboration, and were asked to provide ideas for AGRO’s vision for 2025.
There were was a good mood during the group work. Photo: Janne Hansen
In the coming weeks and months, the sections and the department management will work further with the extensive amount of good and creative input from the meeting in order to prepare a written self-evaluation. This self-evaluation will be presented to an international academic panel that will visit us in May of next year. The comments and suggestions from the panel can thereafter be used to further develop AGRO’s strategy for 2020-2025.
The sixth mass extinction is upon us
Apart from discussing the strategy and sustainable development goals, there was also a talk about biodiversity given by Senior Researcher Rasmus Ejrnæs from Bioscience. We are currently experiencing a biodiversity crisis. We are in the midst of nothing les than the world's sixth mass extinction, and the main causes are human activities. Does this matter? The message from Rasmus Ejrnæs was that biodiversity is not essential but that is should be preserved for the sake of our own happiness and fascination.
- As far as we know, the Earth is the only place in the Universe where there is life. We should be more occupied with life than with how and when we will die, he said.
Basically, all that is required to improve conditions for nature is to leave it be. In the opinion of Rasmus Ejrnæs, we should wholeheartedly adopt land restriction and self-managing nature. This would mean that natural occurences such as fire, dead animals, dead trees, coastal erosion and so on should be allowed to happen without our intervention and ’help’.
- It is the only way out of the biodiversity crisis, he emphasised.
There was a full house and lots of interest at the seniorVIP meetinig in the auditorium in Flakkebjerg. Photo: Janne Hansen
