From Planetary Boundaries to beneath Our Soil

This article was written for Uncover magazine – From Global to Ground (10th edition). You can read the full magazine here. 

Authors: Frans Melissen is Transversal Professor of Sustainability Transitions at BUas, Anna Koens-Waddilove is Sustainability Policy Advisor at BUas, Marit Kamp is topic lead for Biodiversity and Outdoor Nature Connection at BUas.

The challenge is as vast as the planet itself. The science is unambiguous: we are transgressing critical planetary boundaries, destabilising the very systems upon which all life depends. And yet, knowing this has proven insufficient to drive the transformations that are needed. This is perhaps the most fascinating – and frustrating – aspect of sustainability transitions: the persistent gap between what we know and what we do. A gap shaped not by ignorance, but by the sheer complexity of changing interconnected systems, by conflicting interests, by the discomfort of questioning established ways of doing things, and by the very human tendency to assume that someone else will act first.

Where does BUas fit into all of this?
At Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), sustainability transitions is one of two transversal themes – alongside artificial intelligence – that run across everything we do. Not as a separate discipline, but as a lens through which all our domains – from Built Environment to Tourism, from Hotel to Logistics, from Games and Media to Data Science and AI, Facility and Leisure and Events – are challenged to rethink their futures. This deliberate choice reflects a conviction: if sustainability is truly systemic, then engaging with it cannot be confined to one department or research group. It needs to permeate.

BUas education
In education, this translates into a commitment that goes beyond teaching students about sustainability. Two dedicated Intended Learning Outcomes, embedded across all BUas curricula, are designed to help students not only develop knowledge and skills related to sustainability challenges and solutions, but also – and perhaps more importantly – to develop their own perspective on sustainability and their personal contribution to it. The ambition is transformative: education not merely about sustainability, but education as sustainability – fostering the critical thinking, the capacity to navigate moral complexity, and the courage to act even in the face of uncertainty that these transitions demand.

BUas research
In research, a dedicated transversal professorship in Sustainability Transitions works to stimulate and accelerate these transitions across all domains that BUas serves. But its role goes beyond generating and connecting knowledge. At its heart, the professorship is about orchestrating the conversations that matter – helping people across divides of perspective, discipline and opinion to recognise that, ultimately, we want the same things. Nobody sets out to deliberately destroy the planet or make life impossible for others. Yet polarisation, mistrust and a sense of helplessness can make it feel as though we are worlds apart. Bridging that distance – helping people see their shared aspirations beneath the surface disagreements – is not a soft addition to the work of sustainability transitions. It is a precondition.

And perhaps that is also why sustainability transitions are not only about big systems and strategic ambitions. They are equally about the tangible, the local, the ground beneath your feet – sometimes quite literally. It is in the small, concrete, shared spaces where people begin to experience that common ground. And this is where the story becomes most concrete: on the BUas campus itself.

BUas community 
Complementing this focus on sustainability within our education and research, sustainability is also central to how we interact with each other within the BUas community (for example, the emphasis on student and staff well-being, social safety and internationalisation at home) and the way the campus is managed. Sustainability has always been a key element in the construction and renovation of the campus. Now that the campus has been fully operational for several years, it remains the guiding principle for upkeep and daily use – reinforced by BUas' ambition to become a climate-positive organisation. This ambition provides a unified framework for operations-focused sustainability, weaving together a whole series of interconnected themes.

Climate positive organisation
Becoming climate-positive goes beyond reducing environmental impact. The goal is to actively contribute to the health and vitality of all life. BUas has adopted a regenerative approach, recognising that true sustainability means restoring and enhancing the living systems we depend upon, not simply doing less harm. Building capability and empowering staff, students and wider stakeholders is central to this: climate-positive action should become embedded throughout the organisation and beyond the campus borders.

The scope of BUas' climate-positive ambition encompasses all campus operations: energy, material inflow, waste, mobility, health, nature and climate adaptation. One particularly distinctive element is the integration of Zoöp governance principles. A Zoöp (from the Greek 'zoë', meaning 'life') is an innovative governance model that grants a voice to other-than-human life forms. In practice, this means partnering with a dedicated ’Speaker for the Living’ – an external representative who brings the perspectives of plants, animals and soil organisms into organisational decision-making. It is a concrete step towards acknowledging that human flourishing is inseparable from ecological flourishing.

The ambition is expansive but, by taking a phased approach – initially prioritising energy efficiency, indoor climate comfort, sustainable procurement and campus biodiversity – BUas can maintain momentum while building towards longer-term transformation. Clear milestones every four years guide progress, while the strategy is subject to continuous refinement as new insights emerge and legislation evolves.

Beyond efficiency and cost savings, this climate-positive ambition seeks to position BUas as an exemplar in higher education, strengthening our reputation and building resilience, whilst growing valuable knowledge and expertise in sustainability practices and inspiring current and future generations. Nowhere is this more visible than in the living fabric of the campus itself, where biodiversity and our connection to nature are focal points.

A greener and nature-enriched campus
When BUas staff and students were asked to define what climate-positive should mean for the campus, a greener, more nature-enriched environment was among their clearest priorities. This resonates deeply since the more life a campus supports, the healthier the environment becomes for all who inhabit it. BUas' ambition is to create biodiverse ecosystems that strengthen Breda's ecological network, whilst deepening the community's connection to nature – recognising this as essential for both well-being and environmental stewardship.

A first important step is an ecological baseline assessment planned for spring 2026, which will identify targeted measures to increase biodiversity. These are expected to include expanding wildflower meadows, planting additional trees and flower bulbs, and installing wildlife infrastructure such as bird boxes and bee hotels.

Community garden and food forest
Meanwhile, the BUas Community Garden is already demonstrating what is possible. Citizen research carried out by staff and students in 2025 found soil biodiversity in the garden to be two to three times richer than elsewhere on campus – more species and greater variety. The practices behind this result are careful soil management (limiting digging), a wide diversity of plant species, compost application, and ground cover plants. Building on this foundation, a small food forest is planned for the campus. Unlike a conventional vegetable garden, a food forest mimics natural woodland structure across multiple layers – from canopy trees to ground cover – creating self-sustaining, low-maintenance ecosystems that support biodiversity, improve soil health and climate adaptation, and produce food year-round.

Connecting people more meaningfully to nature runs through all of these initiatives. From biophilic design elements indoors and out – living walls, natural materials, nature-inspired interior design and greenery – to opportunities for spending time outside, the campus itself becomes a teacher and a space to experiment. A student-developed mindfulness audio tour of the campus, completed last year, and a Campus Botanicals series of artworks displayed inside the Horizon Building, are just a few examples of what this can look like in practice.

Letting sustainability blossom
These efforts connect to a wider ambition: Breda aims to become one of Europe's most nature-rich cities by 2030, and the BUas campus intends to play its part. In this way, the campus itself becomes a living demonstration of what sustainability transitions can look like when they take root – quite literally – from the ground up.

From planetary boundaries to soil organisms, from systemic complexity to a handful of compost – the distance is vast and intimate at once. What connects them is the same conviction: that transitions begin wherever you are willing to look closely, connect to each other, dig deep, and let something new blossom.