On 8 June 2011, Ecologic Institute hosted a ceremony honouring the 2011 grant recipients of the Konrad von Moltke Fund. The Fund was established as a testament to the late Konrad von Moltke, founding director of the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), and a passionate advocate for international and European environmental affairs.
The Konrad von Moltke Fund provides mobility grants to young researchers working on international environmental issues connected to "Konrad's Agenda":
- European Environmental Policy and Law, e.g. EU policy in the context of European integration, the external dimension of EU policies, or cross-cutting issues;
- International Trade and Investment, e.g. the integration of environmental and sustainability concerns into the rules and institutions governing world trade and investment;
- International Environmental Affairs and Governance, e.g. development of rules and institutions, and strengthening environment and sustainability in international institutions and the UN.
R. Andreas Kraemer, Director of Ecologic Institute, hosted the ceremony, and paid tribute to the professional and personal legacy of Konrad von Moltke. He spoke to the profound influence Konrad von Moltke had in establishing a range of networked environmental institutes, as well as in entrenching an environmental agenda at the European level. Susanah Stoessel, Researcher at Ecologic Institute and a previous Konrad von Moltke Fellow also addressed those in attendance, highlighting the ways in which the grant had benefitted her as a young researcher.
R. Andreas Kraemer then introduced the three 2011 grant recipients: Paul Senker of the United States (attending via video link), Krista Timeus of Guatemala, and Andrew Reid of Canada. Each of the new Konrad von Moltke Fellows thanked the Fund for their awards, and outlined how the grants would benefit their research.
About the 2011 Konrad von Moltke Fellows
Paul Senker will join Ecologic Institute as a Transatlantic Intern in September 2011. He completed his bachelor's degree from Boston University in 2010, as a double major in economics and international relations, with a functional focus in environment and development. At Ecologic Institute, Paul will focus his research on the continuation of the UNFCCC process, emissions reductions commitments, and carbon markets. As a Konrad von Moltke Fellow, he hopes to spend a few weeks at one of Konrad von Moltke's neighboring European institutions and pursue a related, but independent side-project that will draw from his work at Ecologic Institute.
Krista Timeus joined Ecologic Institute as a Transatlantic Fellow in August 2010. At Ecologic Institute she has focused on development, climate change and energy policy. In May 2011, Krista used her Konrad von Moltke grant to attend a conference at the London School of Economics entitled "Navigating the New Economy". During the conference, she had the opportunity to meet scholars and experts from Latin America and the United States who hoped to learn from the European experience in the global effort to create a low-carbon economy. Krista then used her funds to participate in EU Green Week, which took place in Brussels. Green week 2011 focused on resource efficiency and presented the most innovative approaches in the field. In September, Krista will begin a Masters in Public Policy at Berlin's Hertie School of Governance.
Andrew Reid joined Ecologic Institute as a Transatlantic Fellow in September 2010. At Ecologic Instituteb he has worked on EU/US cooperation on maritime governance, as well as coastal climate change adaptation. Prior to joining Ecologic Institute, Andrew conducted his Masters research on the international affairs of small island developing states and served as an advisor to the Republic of Nauru at the United Nations. He intends to use his Konrad von Moltke grant to strengthen his understanding of the interconnections between his various research areas. In particular, he intends to participate in processes promoting a sustainable international ocean agenda during the run up to the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20).
Further links:
- Konrad von Moltke Fund website
- Ecologic remembers Konrad von Moltke
- Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
Keywords: Konrad von Motlke Fund, Transatlantic, EU environment, trade, investment, global environment, international environmental law