In the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Thesis Lab Greener Heart, ten students from the universities of Delft, Rotterdam and Leiden conducted research into the future of the Green Heart with a “realistically optimistic” outlook. With the challenging question: how can the Green Heart develop into a prosperous economic and ecological biodiversity “hotspot” in the Randstad towards the year 2100?
Scientific conclusions on climate and biodiversity are often not cheerful. In order to stay motivated for constructive solutions, the Thesis Lab A Greener Heart looked at the future with a positive attitude.
Realistic on the basis of scientific facts about the consequences of our current way of producing and consuming, and optimistic that together we can find solutions for new, future-proof ways of living.
Green Heart: ideal model area
The graduates conducted research into the future of the Green Heart in the first half of 2025. Led by Joran Lammers, PhD student at the Centre for Environmental Sciences in Leiden, this research has been compiled in the white paper.
Climate change and biodiversity loss worldwide demand a change in the way we use and organise our environment. This is certainly also true in the Green Heart, whose proximity to South Holland's universities makes it an ideal model area for thinking about possible and desirable solutions.
> Will we soon be growing rice between Utrecht and Gouda because of higher groundwater levels? Also read this news article in het Algemeen Dagbald
Biodiversity hotspot of the Randstad
The Thesis Lab focused on the question: How can the Green Heart grow towards the year 2100 into a prosperous economic and ecological biodiversity hotspot in the Randstad, thus contributing to solving societal challenges such as climate neutrality and climate resilience, more biodiversity, food security, a sustainable economy, a just transition, and the quality of water and soil?
At the Polderlab, students learned about experimental crops and thought about future application. With climate change and biodiversity loss as the most guiding developments, they set their sights on the year 2100. This gave room to experiment with innovative ideas and possibilities, rather than getting stuck in contemporary obstacles that come with developing an area.
Students from different fields of study
With backgrounds in five different fields of study from Leiden University, TU delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam - Governance of Sustainability, Industrial Ecology, Biology, Metropolitan Analysis, Design & Engineering and Global Business and Sustainability - they brought together diverse perspectives.
Wondering what ideas and solutions the students came up with for the Green Heart? Download the white paper here!
