Science Circle Lecture: The Climate Emergency, the German "Energiewende" and the Great Transformation

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DWIH New Delhi along with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany  in New Delhi is organising a Science Circle Lecture with Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Director Emeritus, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Germany.

Venue: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110021

Event Information

September 17, 2019, 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM

New Delhi
Organizer(s): DWIH New Delhi, German Embassy New Delhi

The evidence of our rapidly changing climate – and the Earth System as a whole – is literally raining down on us. We have a climate emergency on our hands, which is manifesting in incessant tropical storms, unprecedented wild fires, unabated drought and record heat waves. According to the latest scientific insights, we may be embarking on a runaway path towards a Hothouse Earth, in which such events will define the status quo. Whilst a united response to this emergency from the international community is still in the making, examples of large-scale divestment from fossil fuels, phase-out of coal-fired electricity (such as the German “Energiewende”) and innovation in low-emissions transport and agriculture are beginning to populate the solution space. However, to holistically address the emergency at hand, nothing short of a Great Transformation is needed: comprehensive (geographically and in terms of sources) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to zero, conservation of natural carbon sinks, and sustainable implementation of carbon dioxide removal technologies.

Speaker- Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, CBE

Hans Joachim Schellnhuber is the Director Emeritus at  Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). He studied physics and mathematics and completed his doctorate at the University of Regensburg. After a postdoctoral position at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, Santa Barbara, he held professorships at the Universities of Oldenburg and Potsdam, as well as at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In addition, he has held numerous visiting professorships (e.g., University of California, Santa Cruz; Oxford University; and Santa Fe Institute).
As founding director of PIK, he led the institute from 1991 until 2018. From 2001 until 2005, he was also research director at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in Great Britain. Among other learned societies, he is a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the German National Academy Leopoldina, the US National Academy of Sciences, and the Academia Europaea. He received, inter alia, the German Environment Prize (2007), the Volvo Environment Prize (2011) and the Blue Planet Prize (2017).

He has served as scientific advisor to a number of eminent political and religious leaders, including the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Pope Francis. He has been a member of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) ever since its establishment in 1992. He also contributed in various ways to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

For his achievements, Queen Elizabeth II named Hans Joachim Schellnhuber a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (2004). He was also awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Brandenburg (2008) as well as the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2011).

Event Report

You can read the event report and see selected photos from the event here.

The registrations for the event are now closed and confirmations of participation have been sent. Please note : Only the registered invitees who have received a confirmation of participation from us will be admissible to the premises. Due to limited seating capacity, entries will be on a first come first serve basis. No walk ins will be allowed at the event. DWIH New Delhi and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany reserve the right of admission to the event. We appreciate your understanding. For more information, please feel free to contact us here

 

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, New Delhi

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, New Delhi

Address: No. 6/50G, Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
Phone: + 91 -11-44199-199