“I don’t believe in hope, but in courage and commitment. Hope is passive; leaning back and thinking that things will work out on their own changes nothing.”
Aniek Moonen is an expert in broad prosperity and transitions. From 2021 to 2023, she served as the chair of the Young Climate Movement, where she represented the voice of a million young people in the national and international climate debate. Both in the Netherlands and at international climate conferences, she successfully influenced policy-making, for example, through the introduction of the generational test.
Currently, she is co-chair of the board of the international NGO Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), a member of the Broad Prosperity Commission of the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli), founder of the podcast Kieswijzer (which informs young people about politics), and an advisor for various organizations, such as the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and Stichting OPEN.
Aniek is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Societal Transitions at Erasmus University. She specializes in intergenerational justice, long-term decision-making, and future design.
Aniek Moonen confronts people during her lectures. It’s okay if it hurts a little. She has achieved her goal when her audience lies awake at night because of her story, as that’s when movement begins. However, Aniek also knows that fear can sometimes paralyze. That’s why she paints a hopeful future, which we can only achieve if we make the sustainability transition our highest priority from now on.”