Dresden, Germany — On 1 November 2024, Professor Tchilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and United Nations Under-Secretary-General, will be honoured with the renowned Hans Carl von Carlowitz Sustainability Award at the annual Sustainability Conference in Chemnitz. This year’s theme is "A Healthy Planet is the Prerequisite for the Health of All".
The award will be presented by Prof. Dr. Gerald H. Haug (ETHZ), President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and Director of the Department of Climate Geochemistry at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz.
This award acknowledges Professor Marwala’s efforts in advancing sustainability. His research creates a link between sustainability and artificial intelligence (AI). His groundbreaking findings and achievements inspire research, education and training for the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
The Director of UNU-FLORES, Professor Edeltraud Guenther, notes that “By honouring Professor Marwala's contributions to sustainability and AI, this award upholds Hans Carl von Carlowitz's vision for sustainable practices, highlighting the intersection of innovation with environmental, economic, and social impact”.
The award draws inspiration from Hans Carl von Carlowitz, a Saxon mining administrator, who introduced the concept of "Nachhaltigkeit" (sustainability) in his work Sylvicultura Oeconomica in1713. Concerned with the depletion of forests due to innovative mining (for energy and stabilizing the tunnels), he proposed a systematic approach to forest management, advocating that only as much wood should be harvested as could naturally regrow. This idea laid the foundation for modern sustainable practices, emphasizing a balance between resource use and regeneration.
