Green Science Festival 2026, a great succes!

On 28 May, Green Labs NL and NWO brought science, sustainability, and innovation together, celebrating both bottom-up and top-down initiatives. A diverse community of changemakers – researchers, professionals, students, funders, and national and international policymakers – united more than 200 people in Amsterdam, over 80 across five satellite locations in Utrecht, London, Ghent, Heidelberg, and Klosterneuburg, and another 130 online, showcasing a more sustainable approach to conference participation. Together, they explored how to advance a more sustainable future for research. 

The diversity of stakeholders was one of the strengths of the day, and the opening chain reaction set the tone. It showed how small actions, when connected, can create something much bigger. Throughout the festival, connections were made, ideas were exchanged, and new collaborations emerged. 

The programme brought together science and practice through talks, panels, workshops, and discussions on topics ranging from emerging technologies and environmental sciences to social innovation and policy. A common thread throughout the day was that sustainability is not only a technical challenge but also a social one, requiring collaboration, the right language, and space for different perspectives. 

The festival also celebrated the many initiatives already underway. Fifty-nine of these are featured in the Seeds for Change – Sustainability in Action booklet. The discussions and insights from the day fed into the follow-up meeting on 29 May, which focused on tools like SparkHub, integrating sustainability as funders and stakeholder alignment. 

We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the festival, both through its organisation and by participating, for making it a valuable day of learning and connection.