"Ten years of the Paris Climate Agreement – how far have we come? And why haven't we come further?"

Ten years ago, a historic milestone was set in Paris: the international community committed itself to significantly limiting global warming and thus averting the worst consequences of the climate crisis. Today, a decade later, it is clear that comprehensive knowledge about the causes and consequences is available – but our actions are lagging behind the necessary steps. At the ‘Münsteraner Klimagespräch’, we ask: ‘10 years of the Paris Climate Agreement – how far have we come? And why not further?’.

On Thursday, 13 November, at 7 p.m., at the VHS Forum, Aegidiistr. 2, Prof. Dr. Tillmann Buttschardt, landscape ecologist, will open with some scientific insights. He is Vice-Dean for International Affairs, Transfer and Sustainability in the Department of Geosciences and spokesperson for the board of the ‘Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung’ (ZIN) at the University of Münster (ZIN). VHS Director Esther Joy Dohmen will moderate the talk with him in November.

Students from the ZIN will also provide up-to-date information and, together with the audience, will examine why there is such a large gap between knowledge and action. The focus will be on the question of which social, psychological and political factors have been holding us back so far – and which paths can lead to a future in which we are able to take action. According to neuroscientist Maren Urner, we must first understand what we feel and where we focus our attention before we can take action socially and politically. She has published the book ‘Radikal Emotional – Wie Gefühle Politik machen’ (Radically Emotional – How Feelings Shape Politics), which has provided a different perspective on the discussion.

Admission is free. Registration is not required.

The ‘Münsteraner Klimagespräche’ are organised by a group of sponsors consisting of the ‘Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung’ (ZIN) at the University of Münster, the ‘Evangelisches Forum’, the Umweltforum Münster e. V., the ‘Beirat für kommunale Entwicklungszusammenarbeit’,  the ‘Beirat für Klimaschutz‘ and the ‘vhs Münster‘.