Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit
Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Munich, Germany – November 9, 2023
Bavarian Academy of
Sciences and Humanities
Munich, Germany – November 9, 2023
Professor Elena Bou from EIT InnoEnergy and Lord Nicholas Stern from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) received the Sustainability Award 2023 supported by the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation (NST).
The Awards were given during the 3rd Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit co-organized by NST and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) on November 9, at the Bavarian Academy of Science and Humanities in Munich.
Professor Bou was Awarded in the category “Outstanding Research and Development in the field of Energy” for her achievements in supporting start-ups and scale-ups in the energy transition, and Lord Nicholas Stern in the category “Leadership in Implementation” for his works in the economics of climate change and sustainability.
In their acceptance speech, Professor Bou stressed the “determinant roles start-ups, innovation, and entrepreneurship play in the energy transition”. Lord Stern underlined the need for a “purposive and sustained political leadership, and strong political pressure from society as a whole on decision-makers to deliver change” in order to tackle climate change.
The Awards were handed over by Peter Nobel, Chairman von Nobel Sustainability Trust, Thomas Hofmann, President of TUM, and Michael Molls, Director of TUM Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS).
from left to right: Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann (TUM President), Prof. Michael Molls (TUM-IAS Director), Prof. Elena Bou (EIT InnoEnergy), Peter Nobel (NST Chairman)
© NST / Stefan Obermeier
from left to right: Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann (TUM President), Prof. Michael Molls(TUM-IAS Director), Lord Nicholas Stern (LSE), Peter Nobel (NST Chairman)
© NST / Stefan Obermeier
3rd Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit
Symposium and Award Ceremony organized by Technical University Munich (TUM) and Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST)
The Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST) and the Institute of Advanced Study of Technical University Munich (TUM-IAS) cordially invite you to attend the Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit. This international event will consist of a symposium gathering experts from science & industry around the topic of Sustainability, and the Awarding Ceremony of the Sustainability Award 2023.
The Programme
Moderation: Yang Lan (journalist, TV moderator, co-founder and chairperson of Sun
Media Group)
Welcome address & Opening
09:00 – 09:05 | Prof. Markus Schwaiger (President of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities)
09:05 – 09:15 | The Sustainability Award Peter Nobel (Chairman of the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation)
09:15 – 09:20 |
09:20 – 09:25 | Xie Zhenhua (Chinese representative on climate change) (Video speech)
09:25 – 09:40 | Universities as drivers of sustainable change
Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann (President of TUM)
Keynotes
09:40 – 10:00 | Changing World and Sustainable Energy
Prof. George Smoot (Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics 2006, University
of California, Berkeley) (Video keynote)
10:00 – 10:30 | Application of research results in policy and practice: A focus on water and agriculture.
Prof. Akissa Bahri (Professor Emeritus, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia)
10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee Break
NST Award Ceremony
11:00 – 11:10 | Award Ceremony
11:10 – 11:40 | Sustainability Award for Outstanding Research and Development in the field of Energy
Laudatio by Dr. Rolf Nagel (Co-founder, MVP Management GmbH)
Awardee: Prof. Elena Bou (Innovation Director, EIT InnoEnergy)
11:40 – 12:10 | Sustainability Award for Leadership in Implementation
Laudatio by Prof. Eugénia da Conceição-Heldt (Professor for European
and Global Governance, TUM)
Awardee: Lord Nicholas Stern (Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science)
12:10 – 12:30 | Medals for Outstanding Contribution in Sustainability Introduction by Peter Nobel, videos of Awardees John Kerry (U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate)
Yugun Zheng (Co-founder, CATL)
12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break
Keynotes
13:30 – 14:00 | Glaciers, Water, Sustainability: a deeper understanding of sustainable water supply.
Dr. Christoph Mayer (Senior researcher in Geodesy and Glaciology,
Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities)
14:00 – 14:30 | Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station: How the world’s only zero-emissions research station has been providing a unique sustainable platform for 15 years. Preparing for tomorrow.
Dr. Martin Leitl & Nicolas Van Hoecke (Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station)
Entrepreneurship and Sustainability
Global companies present their sustainability philosophies
14:30 – 14:55 | Entrepreneurial Sustainability: a geographical comparison.
H.H. Princess Tilsim of Liechtenstein (CEO, Sinter Metal Technologies)
14:55 – 15:20 | How does Lidl contribute to a better world?
Dr. Alexander David (Director Corporate Social Responsibility, Lidl
Stiftung & Co. KG)
15:20 – 15:40 | Coffee Break
15:40 – 16:05 | Multiply sustainable impact now
Dr. Eva Riesenhuber (Global Head of Sustainability, Siemens)
16:05 – 16:20 | Hui Zhang (Vice President, NIO Europe)
NIO GmbH
Announcement of next year’s Sustainability Award competition and Farewell
16:20 – 16:30
The Hosts
Welcome to the 3rd Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit!
Nobel Sustainability Trust
The mission of the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation (NST) is to promote sustainable economic growth that preserves and ultimately enhances the living systems on the planet, creates opportunities for people, and harnesses human ingenuity in support of a prosperous common future. By participating in and supporting NST programs and activities, we encourage people to take a stand for our future as a species on a life-sustaining planet.
The Technical University of Munich
As a leading entrepreneurial and one of the most research-intensive and innovative universities in Europe, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is a site of global knowledge exchange, shaping the future with talent, excellence, and responsibility. TUM’s missions are to inspire, promote, and develop talents in all their diversity to become responsible and broad-minded individuals. TUM empowers them to shape the progress of innovation and find solutions to the central scientific and social challenges of our time.
Prof. Dr. Thomas F. Hofmann
Food chemist by training, Prof. Hofmann has been President of TUM since 2019. He held key academic and leadership roles, including Acting Director of the German Food Chemistry Research Institute, Director of the Food Chemistry Institute at Münster University, and full professor in the Chair of Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensors at TUM.
Peter Nobel
Chairman of the Nobel Sustainability Trust and co-founder of HeatCore AB, a Swedish clean tech company. HeatCore AB is known for its compact and energy efficient heat cell for the global heating industry. With more than 25 years of experience, he has held executive roles in sales, marketing, R&D and manufacturing at global companies such as Alfa Laval and SWEP International.
Prof. Dr. Markus Schwaiger
President of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences since 2023, Professor Emeritus of Nuclear Medicine at the Technical University of Munich, Senior Excellence Faculty member, former Medical and Managing Director of Klinikum Rechts der Isar at TUM, Founding Director of TranslaTUM (interdisciplinary central institute for translational cancer research at TUM), and member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
The Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation
Our Mission
Members of the Nobel family, founders of the Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST), have been observing the devastation of the world’s vital, natural, and non-renewable resources with great concern. For the benefit of our planet and humanity, NST encourages research and development activities, and the implementation of sustainable solutions that enhance economic growth while preserving natural resources, fostering the use of renewable energies and a sustainable approach in agriculture, forestry, industrial manufacturing, and water reclamation.
The Sustainability Awards Supported by Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation
A key incentive is the “Sustainability Award supported by the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation” whose purpose is to recognize individuals or institutions who have made important discoveries of potential importance to the well-being of mankind.
Signing of the partnership between NST and the Award Coordinating University, Technical University Munich (TUM)
After NST and Technical University of Munich (TUM) partnered in 2022, they jointly organize the 3rd Nobel Sustainability Trust Summit, including the Award Ceremony.
As Award Coordinating University, TUM, through the strong experience of its Institute for Advanced Study, led the two-stage selection process with the expertise of an international panel of scientists and entrepreneurs.
The Venue
Whether lectures, panel discussions or interactive event formats: The Academy of Sciences strengthens the exchange between science and the public. Public events on socially relevant topics and specialized scientific events open the house to interested parties.
Since 1959, the Academy has had its headquarters in the Munich Residence. There are offices and workrooms for and administration, a library, two smaller meeting rooms two smaller meeting rooms and a large lecture hall for about 350 people.
Interdisciplinary network for researchers
For top researchers, the academy with its community of scholars is with its community .of scholars is an interdisciplinary forum. This network generates synergy effects and impulses for new research questions.
Membership in the Academy
Election to the Academy is one of the highest scientific honors in Bavaria. Only those can be elected, according to the statutes, have contributed to a “substantial expansion of knowledge” in their subjects. Currently, the academy currently has around 200 full members (residing or working in Bavaria) and over 120 corresponding members. In addition two honorary members and several extraordinary members, which members, which contributes to the best possible networking of the BAdW within the in the diverse scientific landscape of Bavaria.
Route directions
Car/Coach:
Since there is no parking available at the Academy, we do not recommend traveling by car.
Public transport:
S-Bahn S1-S8, stop at “Marienplatz” (10 min. walking)
U3, U4, U5 & U6 , stop at “Odeonsplatz” (5 min. walking)
Tram 19 & 21, stop at “Nationaltheater” (5 min. walking)