Although the urgency of climate change is clear, the path toward solutions often feels anything but straightforward. In her presentation ‘From System Challenges to System Solutions’ during our event 'From Friction to Flow' on 16 April, Michelle Prins invites us to step back from the day-to-day complexity of the energy transition and look at the bigger picture. Why is scaling up so difficult? Where do bottlenecks lie? And more importantly — how can we move beyond them?

As Program Lead for Industrial Transformation at Natuur and Milieu, Michelle works at the heart of industrial decarbonisation. In this presentation, she covers the multiple layers that make the energy transition so complex. Her story also carries an implicit call to action: the energy transition cannot be realized in isolation. It requires collaboration, alignment and the willingness to rethink how we work together. Rather than seeing friction and hurdles as endpoints, Michelle challenges us to view them as indications of where the system needs to evolve. Her goal is not only to inform, but also to inspire: to encourage us to reflect on our role within the larger system and consider where we all can create meaningful impact.