Note: this article was written by Jacqueline Zweers
Who is Rob Hopkins and what is he famous for?
Rob Hopkins is a renowned English environmental activist, writer, educator and founder of the global Transition movement, founded in 2005.
The Transition movement is a grassroots initiative that empowers communities around the world to become more resilient and sustainable in response to climate change, fossil fueled business-as-usual, and economic uncertainties.
Rather than waiting for top-down solutions, Transition initiatives encourage local action . . . including growing food, producing renewable energy, and building strong local economies in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels AND create a better, more connected future. Today there are over 1,400 Transition initiatives across 50+ countries.
What are Rob’s publications & media?
He is the author of influential books including The Transition Handbook (2008), The Transition Companion (2011), The Power of Just Doing Stuff (2013), 21 Stories of Transition (2015), and From What Is to What If (2019. And latest author of How to fall in Love with the Future (2025). He also hosts the podcast From What If to What Next and has spoken at TEDGlobal/TEDx, BBC, and featured in the French documentary Demain.
Hopkins’s special visit on the 10th June 2025 in the Natural History Museum in Luxembourg . . . my experience:
I was fascinated!! Before the 10th June event, I had never heard of him. The first moments during his presentation, Rob directly inspired me to act in even more inspired ways. I loved watching his ambition and passion to make morally courageous changes. His positive point of view about the future was contagious.
Now, for a minute before reading more, close your eyes and ask yourself these questions:
- If you think about the future . . . do you feel hopeful or anxious?
- Why do you feel those ways?
- Yes or No: Could your feelings be shaped . . . consciously or unconsciously . . . by news, social media, societal pressures and/or the voices of others?
- What images . . . what scenarios . . . come into your mind when you imagine “the future”?
……. Take your time . . . Think about it……………
The answer is that most people . . . when they think about the future:
- They immediately think negative thoughts.
- Why?
- Often because news on television, radio and other types of media fill us with dread.
That’s exactly the reality today Mr. Rob Hopkins wants to change.
His method? Reclaiming the imagination. He invites us to picture a future that is joyful, inclusive and sustainable . . . a ridiculously different from what we are told is “realistic”. Rob opens his talk by saying: “I have just come back from 2030 in a Time-Machine . . . ” , and from there he paints a vision so compelling, it feels possible. One of Rob’s key beliefs: “any useful statement about the future should…at first…seem ridiculous.”
The statement “Any useful statement about the future should at first seem ridiculous” aligns with the title of his newest book: “How to Fall in Love with the Future”. Our approach must dare to think, belief and mostly act in the most positive . . . most ridiculous way. We must visualize beliefs for the world to be as we wish the world to be. For example: No cars and no planes, and instead? Everyone mostly bikes and takes long walks to get to work, school, events, free time activities, meet friends, go to restaurants, and everything in between. A world that feels alive, where local economies thrive and people feel deeply connected to nature and to each other.
This doesn’t have to be a utopian fantasy. And it certainly doesn’t have to be a future dominated by AI, job loss, and self-driving cars . . . although that’s the future we’re often being sold. These narratives are not destiny. They’re just one version of the future, shaped by new technologies like ChatGPT or automated systems. As Rob reminds us: “We don’t need new inventions—we already have everything we need.”
The Bigger Picture: Climate, Imagination, and Action: on international level, the Paris Agreement . . . signed by nearly all countries in 2015 . . . anchors our shared planetary commitment to fight climate chaos. According to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we must stay under 1.5°Celsius of warming threshold. To achieve that, global emissions must be cut by around 45% by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. Rob Hopkins says we are definitely nearby and we have to find different approaches to reach that goal. Rob Hopkins believes we’re still close enough to make that happen. But to do so, we need radically different approaches . . . rooted in creativity, community, and courage.
Final Thought:
The future isn’t written yet. We can choose to fear the future, or we can choose to fall in love with it.
