We are living in an era where human activity has become a dominant influence on Earth’s climate and environment, leading to new problems of social justice and sustainability. From dealing with increasing polarisation to growing environmental crises and disasters, and from rising healthcare costs to widening inequalities on Earth. How do we deal with this as scientists and as human beings? How can we as multidisciplinary scientists work together to address these problems?
Background
The conference Shared Pathways to a Sustainable and Just Future: Navigating the Anthropocene on 30 January 2025 was attended by 200 VU scientists, students and outsiders in a full day of 26 sessions, 2 conference keynote speakers as well as a poster and exhibition session. The conference contributions were originating from 19 different departments and faculties and were therefore covering the wide span of disciplines that was called upon in the call for sessions in the autumn of 2024. How do we build a sustainable and just future together? The conference has been organized by the four profile teams at the VU: Governance for Society, Connected World, Health for Humans Life Sciences, and Science for Sustainability.
Mission
The Anthropocene Navigators community of people participating and interested in this conference has a goal to maintain the community, research spirit, and interaction of the diverse conference themes. In order to reach this interconnectedness, we aim to meet each month, alternatively in online and hybrid forms. The conference organisation is collaborating with the VU Library, Amsterdam Sustainability Institute, VU Profile Themes and Campus Online to assist in staging and recording these meetings.
The meetings are meant to encourage the community to engage in discussion, collaborations and find shared pathways in research and teaching as well as outreach to non-academic participants and partners. Everyone interested in and open for navigating can join the community. As dots on the horizon we envision a next large conference in November of this year and a ‘ hands-on’ workshop program from Navigating the Anthropocene for the Davos 2026 conference in January 2026. Within the community we remain open and transparent for other ideas, plans and discussions.
In the Campus Online environment of the Anthropocene Navigators, you find the link to follow the meeting online or to rewatch it, as well as information of the previous sessions and materials shared. You log in with your VU credentials automatically.