Nobel Sustainability Trust and TUM Launch Prestigious ‘Sustainability Award’ Honoring Climate Champions

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(IN BRIEF) The Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are introducing the “Sustainability Award supported by NST” for exceptional research and development efforts in sustainable energy and climate change economics. The inaugural recipients are Prof. Elena Bou of EIT InnoEnergy, recognized for her contributions to energizing energy start-ups, and Lord Nicholas Stern, a renowned Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, celebrated for his pioneering work in the economic aspects of climate change. The awards ceremony will take place on November 9, 2023, during the Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit in Munich, marking the beginning of an annual tradition.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 30-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Technical University of Munich (TUM), one of Europe’s leading universities with focus on the engineering sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, medicine, and social sciences, and The Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST) are jointly unveiling the inaugural “Sustainability Award supported by NST,” recognizing outstanding research and development achievements in the realms of sustainable energy and climate change economics. This prestigious award acknowledges the profound impact of individuals and institutions dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions for the betterment of humanity. The first recipients of this prestigious accolade are Prof. Elena Bou of EIT InnoEnergy, lauded for her contributions to energizing energy start-ups, and Lord Nicholas Stern, a distinguished Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, celebrated for his pioneering work in the field of economic aspects of climate change.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 9, 2023, as a highlight of the Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit, hosted at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Munich. “The Sustainability Awards supported by NST” will be an annual event, bestowing recognition upon those who have demonstrated remarkable progress and significant contributions in the realization of sustainable solutions.

Peter Nobel, Chairman of the NST, said: “It is with great joy and pride that we now for the first time here in Munich announce the awardees of the Sustainability Award. The future of humanity and its survival will, to a great extent depend on how sustainable we use the earth’s resources combined with technological innovations. We believe the Sustainability Award will play an important role and be a strong symbol within the sustainable field. Its objective is to inspire, motivate, and incentivize individuals and organizations worldwide to develop sustainable technologies in key resource areas like energy, water, and agriculture. This will require substantial intellectual and financial efforts.”

TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann said: “Sustainability and its implementation in terms of technologies with promising future potential and market capability has to be a prime directive for us all. Our TUM Sustainable Futures Strategy 2030 defines our ambitious objectives for a sustainable transformation. Transformations of this kind need visible heroes. I am all the more pleased to be able to honor two such outstanding personalities with the Nobel Sustainability Trust Award, high-profile individuals who shine as role models.”

About the Honorees:

Category: Outstanding Research and Development in the Field of Energy

Prof. Elena Bou co-founder EIT InnoEnergy

Prof. Elena Bou co-founded EIT InnoEnergy in 2010 and currently serves as the Innovation Director. Her relentless dedication to nurturing start-ups in the sustainable energy sector, including securing financial support, has been transformative. EIT InnoEnergy, a venture co-funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), has nurtured and empowered over 500 start-ups in the sustainable energy landscape. The organization’s focus spans energy storage, sustainable urban development, renewable energy sources, intelligent power grids, energy efficiency, circular economies, transportation, and mobility.

In addition to her pivotal role at EIT InnoEnergy, Elena Bou is an Associate Professor of Operations, Innovation, and Data Sciences at ESADE (Escuela Superior de Administración y Dirección de Empresas), a prominent business university in Spain. Her research and teaching interests encompass Knowledge and Innovation Management, and she holds a doctorate in economic sciences from ESADE. Elena Bou is also the author of several influential publications in the domains of knowledge management, collaborative innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Category: Leadership in Implementation

Professor Lord Nicholas Stern

Professor Lord Nicholas Stern is globally renowned for his expertise in the economic dimensions of climate change. Since the inception of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2008, he has served as its distinguished Chair. Over the past two decades, Lord Stern has made exceptional contributions to international climate policy and has championed the transition towards sustainable, holistic, and resilient economic development.

Lord Stern’s seminal work, “The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review,” published in 2006 on behalf of the British government, had a profound impact at both national and international levels, resonating with stakeholders in politics and economics. His tireless commitment to raising awareness about the cost of inaction in the face of global climate change is evident through his advisory roles at esteemed organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the World Economic Forum.

The winners are selected by a panel of international experts as well as TUM professorships, organized by the TUM Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS). The Leadership in Implementation Award is endowed with 300,000 Swedish krona, and the Research and Development in the field of Energy Award with 500,000 Swedish krona.

Registrations for the Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit are still possible at https://nst-sustainabilityaward.events/