We are at the beginning of the most adventurous journey mankind will ever undertake – a journey towards a greener future for our planet, the only planet we have. Climate change and the loss of biodiversity are the greatest challenges of our time. Over the past few years, we have been flooded with doom scenarios and alarming images of floods, extreme droughts, and forest fires. These messages worry us – but we do not have time for despair. It is time to act. The good news is that most solutions for addressing climate change are already available. The key lies in restoring balance between our society and nature. If we cooperate more effectively with nature and apply smart technologies on a large scale, our future can once again be hopeful. This book takes you – along seven routes – on a journey through inspiring examples from around the world, demonstrating that this transition has already begun. With this climate guide, packed with solutions for the 21st century, you will be inspired to help build a hopeful future.

Tim van Hattum is Head of the Green Climate Solutions Programme at Wageningen University & Research in The Netherlands. He has over 25 years of experience as aconsultant, policy advisor, and researcher at the intersection of water and climate. Together with his colleagues, he developed a nature-positive vision for The Netherlands in 2120, which gained significant media attention and led to numerous keynote invitations. With this book, he aims to inspire people of all ages and make it clear that it’s not too late to create a green future together.


‘Tim van Hattum outlines a beautiful future in balance with our planet. We are smart enough to achieve it. Now we just need to be wise enough to make it happen.’ André Kuipers, Astronaut of our beautiful, fragile spaceship Earth