Asking the question: Whose Responsibility is it Anyway? is vital, as humanity approaches its greatest hurdle yet to overcome. How can the environmental crisis on planet earth be resolved? And how can the 7.7 billion people who live on it lead dignified and sustainable lives for the future to come? Recent UN reports suggest an even faster approach of climate catastrophe and, thereby, urge society to spark change immediately. But while asking this question is easy, answering it is not.

Responsibility is a double-edged sword: If left to their own device, people will likely fail to perform the rapid societal turnaround needed. But if responsibility rests within governments or big companies, might people not abdicate their individual responsibility altogether? After all, it is easy to blame others for one’s own inertia. Who can have the biggest impact and does individual action even enter the equation?

In this Debate Café, distinguished guests – academics, practitioners, and civil society activists – will come together to discuss the dynamics of societal change. Their debate will touch upon topics as diverse as environmentalism, food choices, mental health, and striking a balance between bottom-up and top-down approaches to societal organisation.

Panel
• Nathalie Ummels is coördinator of Mondiaal Maastricht.

• Ceren Pekdemir works as a PhD researcher at the International Centre for Integrated assessment and Sustainable development (ICIS) at Maastricht University (UM).

Moderator
• Alex Baker-Shelley, PhD(c) at ICIS and teacher at the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship. 

This debate café is organised by Green Office and Studium Generale.