Louise Vet is a biologist and emeritus professor of ecology at Wageningen University & Research. She was director of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and has held various board and advisory positions in the fields of energy transition, circular economy, and biodiversity restoration. Beyond academia, she actively seeks to connect with the wider public through lectures and by encouraging environmentally conscious initiatives. A striking example of her vision is the NIOO building, which was realised under her leadership and is regarded as one of the most sustainable research buildings in the Netherlands.
In the lead-up to the LDE Climate and Biodiversity Network Event on November 27, we spoke with Louise Vet about her passion for ecology, her views on biodiversity and climate change, and the role of science in the transition to a sustainable society.
How did your passion for biology and ecology begin?
“From a young age, I was fascinated by the immense diversity of life. During my PhD research at Leiden University, I became increasingly interested in the larger system of which humans are just one part. We are a single link in a complex network of animals, plants, insects, and countless other organisms. I find those interactions that make ecosystems function absolutely fascinating.
That fascination has not only brought me an international scientific career, but also a more activist mindset. As ecologists, we see firsthand how severely biodiversity is declining. That affects me deeply, because it has enormous consequences for our well-being, our economy, and our very ability to live on this planet.”
Your keynote on 27 November is titled “Learning from Nature for Sustainable Development.” What key lessons can we learn from nature?
“The main message I want to share in my keynote is that we should look more closely at the economy of nature. It has been operating for billions of years and functions perfectly well. There’s so much we can learn from it.
We should look more closely at the economy of nature. It has been operating for billions of years and functions perfectly well.
The first lesson is that in nature, there is no such thing as waste, because everything is reused. That’s exactly the principle behind a circular economy. We need to reuse our materials much more often. If our economy were just twice as circular, we would already have solved a large part of the climate problem.
The second lesson is that nature runs on light and heat from the sun. We should make much greater use of that too. In the NIOO building, for example, we store the heat of summer for use in winter, and the cold of winter for the summer months. That’s a circular energy system – exactly as nature does it.
The third, and perhaps the most important lesson, is that diversity is the foundation of all life on Earth. Diversity is something to cherish, not to strip away. In our current economy, we remove all the ‘frills’ to produce as efficiently and cheaply as possible. But that makes the system fragile. Diversity creates resilience and adaptability. It keeps ecosystems, and thus life on Earth, functioning. We should apply those lessons from nature much more consciously in our own systems.”
How do you see the relationship between biodiversity and climate change?
“I sometimes say provocatively that the CO₂ issue is not the real problem, but rather a symptom of how poorly we treat the Earth. The root cause lies in the loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity forms the basis of healthy ecosystems, which in turn underpin our well-being, our economy, and our living environment
The CO₂ issue is not the real problem, but a symptom of how poorly we treat the Earth. The real issue is biodiversity loss.
Our current economic system is geared towards ever-increasing production and GDP growth, it simultaneously undermines the very natural capital on which all life depends. That is fundamentally wrong. Biodiversity is essential for ecosystems to function. Those ecosystems provide crucial services such as water purification and soil fertility; all the benefits nature provides us for free. Without biodiversity, we lose those functions one by one.
Moreover, biodiversity is indispensable for both climate mitigation and adaptation. Peatlands and marshes in particular are champions in CO₂ storage. And when extreme weather strikes – droughts, floods, or heatwaves – it is well-functioning ecosystems that can absorb the shocks. That’s why nature restoration is not an optional extra, but a precondition for both combating and coping with climate change.
The primary driver of biodiversity loss lies in our food system and the way we utilise land. Ten thousand years ago, Earth was covered with forests and wild grasslands; now, about half of those natural habitats have been converted into farmland. As a result, we have lost habitat for countless wild species that play vital roles in ecosystems. Moreover, 77% of agricultural land is used for livestock feed, and only 23% for food for people. That urgently needs to change.
About 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture and food production. Eating less meat and producing food differently are therefore not only good for restoring biodiversity, but also for the climate. The cost-benefit ratio of nature restoration is one to twelve. More and more economists are beginning to recognise this as well: companies themselves are vulnerable when nature falls out of balance. Heineken, for instance, cannot brew beer without clean water. It’s time we start taking the interconnection between biodiversity, climate change and the economy truly seriously.”
It’s time we start taking the interconnection between biodiversity, climate change and the economy truly seriously.
This event brings together technical climate researchers, ecologists, biologists, business experts and public administrators. How can these different disciplines collaborate on sustainable solutions?
“We still tend to think too much in silos. Everyone works within their own research field, while we’re all part of one big system. That’s why I’m so pleased with the LDE Climate and Biodiversity Programme, because it truly connects biodiversity and climate, two themes that are inseparably linked.
Over the past years, I’ve seen how important it is to build such collaborations at the regional level as well. Initiated through the Deltaplan Biodiversiteitsherstel, research has been carried out in so-called Living Labs in regions such as the Bollenstreek, the Alblasserwaard and the Ooijpolder-Groesbeek. In these projects, ecologists, farmers, policymakers, citizens, as well as social scientists and anthropologists work together to explore how biodiversity in the landscape can be restored. These projects have now been running for five years, and valuable lessons can be drawn from them.
One of the key insights is that scientists should not merely advise from the outside but be part of the transition process. You need truly transdisciplinary collaboration, not only between academic disciplines, but also with the people who work in the landscape every day. Farmers, water boards, municipalities, citizens: they need to be involved from the start, in defining the research questions as well as in applying the outcomes. Only then can you achieve sustainable, widely supported solutions.
One of the key insights is that scientists should not merely advise from the outside but be part of the transition process.
Fortunately, this approach is increasingly gaining traction. In the Netherlands, we are working hard on biodiversity recovery, and more and more sectors realise they have a role to play. A great example is Collectief Natuurinclusief, in which ten sectors — such as construction, energy, health and finance — work together towards a nature-inclusive society.
In addition, I see many other inspiring initiatives in the field. Farmers are switching to regenerative agriculture, introducing more diversity into the landscape through agroforestry, mixed crops, landscape features and herb-rich grasslands, while no longer using artificial fertilisers or chemical pesticides. This not only enhances biodiversity, but also strengthens farmers’ resilience and business models. Citizens are contributing as well: food forests, greener business parks and schoolyards, flower-rich dikes and verges — everywhere you can see a growing movement towards a more biodiverse country.
The provinces and municipalities are already embracing this, but I hope the national government will now also bring a fresh wind to support rather than slow down this movement. The time for clinging to the old agri-food mindset is over. We have the knowledge, examples, and energy to do things differently. It’s time to scale up.”
What do you hope the audience will take away from your keynote?
“That scientists look beyond the boundaries of their own disciplines and actively seek collaboration. It is important that whatever you work on — whether it’s water, energy or soil — you make sure biodiversity is included. Work with nature, rather than against it. Many people still think: if we cause a bit less harm, we’re doing well. But that’s not enough. Everything we do should make a positive contribution to biodiversity. That’s where real change begins.”
Louise Vet will speak at the LDE Climate and Biodiversity Network Event on 27 November at PLNT in Leiden. In her keynote “Learning from nature for sustainable development,” she will show how we can apply natural principles to make our society more resilient and future-proof.
Would you like to attend? Register here.
Text: Sifra Hordijk