Jan Pronk | Sustainable Development, International Cooperation and the EC

Quick Overview
Dr. Jan Pronk considers what are commonly known as challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and racial struggle, as catastrophes. The biggest catastrophe in his eye is that we are depriving ourselves of the systems and values, which are necessary to address all other catastrophes. Looking back at his professional involvement in international development cooperation and sustainability, Dr. Pronk recognises the achievement that all the negotiations have achieved within the systems, but also laments that some negotiations came too late and some outcomes are yet to be implemented. While building new systems is too difficult, the restoration and renewal of the existing systems is not possible without the basis of shared values, which have been captured in the systemic nature of the Earth Charter.