Film screening kicks off collaboration on the sustainability transition

Does “more economic growth” automatically mean that the world is doing better? That question lies at the heart of the documentary The Cost of Growth, which was screened on 21 April at THUAS, ahead of its broader release in art-house cinemas. The screening and the pizza session that followed were more than just a film night: they marked the official launch of a renewed collaboration between two Centres of Expertise within the research theme Transition to Sustainability. 

The documentary, created among others by Anuna de Wever and Lena Hartog, explores a fundamental question: who are we growing the economy for, and what price do we pay for it? Students Chennery Cardenas (European Studies) and Kiera Marks (MSc Sustainability Transitions) attended the screening and were deeply moved by what they saw. “It’s super interesting and poetic. It showed us a harsh reality without giving us a reason to lose hope”, Kiera reflects. 

A socially just transition 

Chennery adds: “In my degree programme, we often look at policies such as the European Green Deal and their governance benefits. This film shows the real impact on people. You notice that the economic and capitalist agenda takes center stage. The discussion is often about, ‘Oh, how do we make this greener?’ instead of thinking about how we can structurally change things to achieve a truly socially just transition. You can set goals, but only if you don’t forget the people in society during that transition. I’m originally from Curaçao, and there you really see how important that is. You have to actively involve local communities themselves.” 

Collaboration Between GIL and Mission Zero 

Within the research theme Transition to Sustainability, one of the themes in the knowledge agenda of THUAS, two Centres of Expertise joined forces: Global and Inclusive Learning (GIL) and Mission Zero. Juliette Walma van der Molen, interim leading professor at GIL, explains why: “We can’t solve challenges of this magnitude from a single discipline. Innovation happens precisely at the intersections. We need the natural sciences and new technologies, but just as much perspectives from economics, sociology, and cultural studies. That’s why these two knowledge centres are now working so closely together.” 

A community of researchers 

On 1 January of this year, a new three-year project plan began to firmly establish this joint research line. “At the moment, we’re building a community around this theme and trying to involve as many researchers, students, and professionals from the field as possible. After spending the first three months largely behind the scenes setting up the plan, we felt this was a great way to immediately present the sustainability transition to a broader audience.” 

Building the transition together 

The preview screening of The Cost of Growth is only the beginning. In the coming period, the research group focused on the Transition to Sustainability will increasingly seek connections both within and beyond THUAS. Juliette concludes: “The people working within this research theme have so much to offer and can truly set real change in motion.”