Jaap Tielbeke

(1989) has been a member of the editorial staff of the Dutch weekly De Groene Amsterdammer since 2015. His book Een beter milieu begint niet bij jezelf (A Better Environment Doesn't Start with You, 2020) argues that an emphasis on "green" consumer behaviour leaves out the big issues and the real culprits. While we busily try to reduce our ecological footprint, the fossil industry happily continues to pump up oil. While we are made to feel shame for flying, governments continue to subsidize air traffic. Instead of blaming one another, we should hold the real culprits accountable. In short, combating the climate crisis requires political action. Tielbeke studied International Relations and Philosophy at Dutch and Belgian universities. For De Groene he primarily writes about climate change, social movements and democratic renewal.