Major award goes to Reto Knutti
Reto Knutti, a professor for climate physics at the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science at ETH Zurich, will be awarded the 2018 prize of Dr J. E. Brandenberger Foundation for his achievements in the field of climate change research and the communication of his results to the public.
The prize in the amount of 200,000 CHF is among the highest foundation prizes awarded in Switzerland. It honours individuals who have dedicated their work to improving people’s living conditions and have made special contributions. «That describes Reto Knutti very well», says the foundation’s president, Carlo Schmid-Sutter. «Our awareness of climate change has increased even before this scorcher of a summer; thanks to new ways of communicating knowledge, Reto Knutti has managed to reach people who are now interested, make the results of his research known far beyond academia, and sensitize political decision makers and the broader public to this subject.»
Reto Knutti is examining the major issues: What will our world look like in 20 to 30 years? How do we increase our awareness of the risks of climate change? How do we create societal and political acceptance of climate research? «I am especially pleased by the Brandenberger Foundation award because it underlines the societal relevance of climate research», says Reto Knutti. «It motivates me to continue to share the results of my research even more closely with the public in future.» As one of the primary authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), he demonstrates the effects of a warmer climate on our planet.
Reto Knutti heads the Group for Climate Physics at the Institute for Atmosphere and Climate of the Department of Environmental Systems Sciences at ETH Zurich, and is the delegate for sustainability at ETH Zurich and president of ProClim, a forum for climate and global change.
The ETH President Lino Guzzella was also pleased about the award: «On the one hand, this prize is a recognition of the excellent work Reto Knutti is doing. On the other hand, it is proof that ETH Zurich is researching subjects that have major societal relevance, developing solutions in this area and contributing to public debate.»
The Dr J. E. Brandenberger Foundation prize will be awarded to Reto Knutti on 24 November 2018 in Zurich.
About the award
The Dr. J. E. Brandenberger Foundation awards a 200,000 CHF prize annually to Swiss citizens who have dedicated their work in a major and sustained manner to improving people’s material and immaterial living conditions, and have thereby made special contributions. The prize shall be awarded without regard to the religious or political affiliations of these men and women. The foundation was founded by Irma Marthe Brandenberger, the daughter of the inventor of cellophane, Dr J. E. Brandenberger.