The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is honored to have been declared a co-laureate of the 2022 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, together with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
The Jury of the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity led by Dr. Angela Merkel, selected the IPCC and IPBES out of 116 nominations from 41 countries, in recognition of “…the role of science on the front line of tackling climate change and the loss of biodiversity.”
“On behalf of IPCC scientists who deliver the most up-to-date and robust climate change knowledge to the world’s policymakers, we are honored to receive this prominent award,” said Hoesung Lee, the Chair of the IPCC.
“Science is our most powerful instrument to tackle climate change, a clear and imminent threat to our wellbeing and livelihoods, the wellbeing of our planet and all of its species. For IPCC scientists, this prize is an important recognition and encouragement. For the decision-makers, it is another push for more decisive climate action.”
The prize was launched by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 2020 with the objective of distinguishing those persons and organisations from around the world whose work has greatly contributed to mitigating the impacts of climate change. It comes with a generous purse of 1 million Euros.
IPCC´s share of this year´s prize funds, an amount of EUR 500,000, will be used to boost the funding of IPCC´s Scholarship Programme. This important initiative provides scholarships for doctoral students from developing nations and countries with economies in transition to conduct research that advances their understanding of climate change risks and response strategies. The IPCC Scholarship programme delivers critical support for young researchers and strengthens equity, inclusion and diversity in IPCC’s work
The Chair of the IPCC, Hoesung Lee, received the award on behalf of the IPCC at a ceremony on 13 October 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal.