Emil Kuijs

Background

About Emil Kuijs

How can I help you? Emil is a critical but constructive system thinker, who beliefs that there are often better ways of doing things. With his interdisciplinary background in ecology and sociology, he contributes to solutions for complex environmental and societal issues. Doing so, he is fascinated about finding leverage points, these are places within a complex system (a corporation, an economy, a city, an ecosystem) where a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything. Key words: Consultant, filmmaker, ecology, socio-ecological systems, sustainable livelihood framework, sustainable development, food security, resource management, fisheries, IJsselmeer, eel, Dutch Eel Management Plan, system change and transitions, community currencies, circular money. Since 2009, Emil has been involved in the IJsselmeer area, where he studied and worked on the socio-ecological relationships in relation to fish, birds and fishermen. Building a trustworthy relationship with the IJsselmeer fishermen, gave him renewed perspectives on the management of the lake. His capacity to relate to the perspective of both the fishermen, NGO’s, research and policymakers, makes Emil an ideal partner to contribute to effective and commonly supported resource management. His master “Development and Rural Innovations” and his work as a filmmaker for MOOC’s on food security, inspired his search to understand the enabling environment that allows sustainable development to take place. He enjoys applying (agro)-ecological principles like circularity, diversity and resilience to society, the economy and the functioning of money. This led him to found the project At the Root, which has the aim to connect circular money initiatives with initiatives supporting the transition towards a healthier and more sustainable food system. With Kuijseffect, he shares his “effect” as a social-ecologist and filmmaker, with the world.