Sustainability superstars to Copenhagen

A full line up of renowed sustainability superstars are coming to the University of Copenhagen this year. From Nobel Peace prize winners to Climate Ministers, Danish and international intellectuals will attack a variety of issues encompassing the overall lecture series topic: sustainability.

Read more about the first Sustainability Lecture here.

Big names to speak

Wangari Maathai
Maathai, a 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has dedicated her life to sustainable development, democracy and peace. She is the first woman in East Africa to have obtained a doctorate. She also founded the tree planting initiative, Green Belt, to improve the environment, as well as women’s livelihoods and rights in Kenya.

She is renowned for her struggle to promote democracy and environmental sustainability, and has held a wide range of trusted positions. She is a member of the Kenyan Parliament and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

Connie Hedegaard
Hedegaard presently acts as the EU’s Climate Commissioner. She has also held positions as Denmark’s Climate and Energy Minister and Envrionment Minister. Prior to this she was a journalist with Berlingske and DR.

Inger Andersen
Andersen has been the Vice President of Sustainable Development at the World Bank since 2008. She is also the president of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.

Throughout her life, she has worked with many aspects of sustainability: management of water, natural resources, environment, infrastructure and development.

Other big names like Dr. Stephen Toope (President of the University of British Columbia, Canada), Lykke Friis (Climate and Energy Minister and Minister for Gender Equality), and Katherine Richardson (Pro-Dean of the Natural Science Faculty) are expected to present their approach to addressing issues in sustainability over the course of 2011.

Stay tuned. The University Post will be following them closely.

afton.halloran@adm.ku.dk

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