Changing of the guard
After nearly 22 years as a professor of Sustainability, Tourism and Transport at Breda University of Applied Sciences, Paul Peeters delivered his farewell speech in a full Chapel. He passed the baton to Nina Nesterova who held her inaugural address.
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Paul Peeters, the outgoing professor of Sustainable Tourism and Transport, delivered a stark warning about climate change. Using a simple but striking analogy of cows eating grass. ’A cow eats grass, more cows eat more grass, but if you eat the grass faster than it grows… you end up in a desert with dead animals. So stop eating the grass faster than it grows!’ he urged.
Reflecting on 22 years of research, Paul highlighted the alarming reality of the climate crisis, emphasising that we are now facing existential tipping points. His message was clear: the time for action is now, and the world cannot afford further delays.
As he passed the baton to his successor, Nina, Paul expressed his confidence in the CSTT team’s ability to drive meaningful change. ’The world needs you’, he said, wishing them success in their mission to more sustainable transport and tourism.
Then it was up to Nina Nesterova to deliver her inaugural address. She called for a radical transformation in how society approaches travel. The address, framed by personal reflections, emphasised the urgent need for more sustainable travel practices, while challenging both industry and individuals to rethink their values around mobility.
Reflecting on her childhood in the Soviet Union, where travel was rare, Nina contrasted that with modern Europe, where frequent and affordable travel is now common but environmentally harmful. She highlighted that in 2019, travel and tourism contributed to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with aviation responsible for 74% of tourism-related transport emissions. Nina stressed the climate injustice of air travel, noting that 1% of the global population accounts for over 50% of air travel emissions.
Nina shared her own experience, admitting to taking 16 trips in 2024—more than three times the Dutch average—and questioned whether the availability of travel has pressured society into travelling more than is necessary. She urged both individuals and the industry to reconsider their values around mobility, particularly in a world that prioritises status and novelty over meaningful experiences.
As leading professor of the Centre for Sustainable Tourism and Transport, Nina’s mission is clear: to drive the transition to a more sustainable tourism system that minimises climate impact while still enriching lives. She outlined three key research priorities: exploring alternative tourism futures, examining the political and societal barriers to change, and implementing practical interventions to reduce reliance on high-carbon transportation modes.
She concluded with a forward-looking message, placing her hopes for future generations into a time capsule. ’I wish for a future where closer travel brings us further, where each trip holds deeper meaning’, she wrote, offering a vision for a world where sustainability and well-being are at the heart of the travel experience.
