SDG 13: Green Talents Competition 2019 awardees on tour through Germany

Promising young researchers from around the world are visiting the Federal Republic of Germany in October to present and discuss their projects in the field of sustainable development with German elite researchers during a two-week expedition to sustainability hotspots.

The 25 international awardees of this year’s Green Talents Competition have travelled to Germany to attend the Science Forum for talented junior researchers from the field of sustainability science. Started in 2009, the programme under the motto “Smart Green Planet – Solutions for a Sustainable Future” has completed a decade of working for climate action. 

The Green Talents programme is held under the patronage of the Federal Minister of Education and Research, Ms Anja Karliczek. The award has been honouring talented researchers since 2009 and provides young scientists with a platform for sharing their innovative green concepts to help to shape a more sustainable future. This year, a high-ranking jury of German experts selected 25 up-and-coming researchers from among 837 applicants and 97 countries, which marks a new high score of applications received. Furthermore and for the first time ever, winners from Cameroon, Lebanon, Morocco and Papua New Guinea are among the chosen awardees. 

In the coming days, the Green Talents will be visiting German research institutions, universities and organisations concerned with sustainability science and discuss their projects with local experts. Among the research institutions included in this year’s programme are the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence in Saarbrücken, the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security in Bonn, RWTH Aachen University, and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy. Furthermore, Germanwatch e. V., a non-governmental organisation based in Bonn will be visited, as well as the company Covestro AG, which will present itself at K 2019, a trade fair for plastics and rubber in Düsseldorf. To celebrate the 10^th anniversary, the tour ends this year with a major Networking Conference, bringing together the awardees, further distinguished German experts from the field of sustainability research, and selected Green Talents alumni. 

By establishing contacts with the German science community and exchanging ideas with its key innovators, the awardees will be able to lay the foundations for future cooperation. These efforts are supported by the invitation to return to Germany in 2020 for a fully funded research stay at an institution of their choice. 

The 25 Green Talents will be honoured by Parliamentary State Secretary Dr Michael Meister during a festive award ceremony within the framework of the Networking Conference, attended by embassy representatives, key representatives of the German sustainability landscape, former awardees, and other renowned guests.

(With inputs from Green Talents )