Headline:
Promotion of Young Academics and Sustainability – Klaus Töpfer Scholarship for ten outstanding students in China
The complex challenges of a sustainable energy supply in the context of the increasing global energy consumption were at the center of a lecture series that Klaus Töpfer gave on the 25th and 26th of June at the UNEP – Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development at the Tongji University in Shanghai. The IASS Executive Director holds a visiting professorship at the same institution since 2007.
In his second lecture on “Sustainable Development- Past and Future”, Prof. Töpfer summarized the emergence of the concept of sustainable development and referred to rising challenges of the 21st century. In order to enable all human beings a decent life, the main aim has to be to provide access to an affordable, sustainable and reliable energy supply. For a number of years Prof. Töpfer has supported young Chinese academics in the fields of sustainability and environment. Every year, ten outstanding students from all parts of China are awarded the “Klaus Töpfer Environmental Scholarship”. The scholarship was first established in 2007 and each scholarship is endowed with approx. 1.000 EUR. This year, the prize was awarded during the Tongji International Students conference on Environment and Sustainability.
The “Klaus Töpfer Environmental Scholarship” is the first of its kind in China that aims at supporting students of environmental studies. Until today 40 outstanding students have received the scholarship – which is, according to Klaus Töpfer, the best investment in a sustainable development.
Fotos by Tongji University - UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development