Chalmers Environmental Initiative Progress Report 2001

Edited book, 2001

The Board of the Chalmers University of Technology Foundation decided in 1999 to invest SEK 100 million in a strategic investment in the environment with a special focus on environmental systems analysis. This investment was entitled The Chalmers Environmental Initiative (CEI). Through this environmental initiative Chalmers has acquired a prominent international position within environmental systems analysis. CEI is the result of the active research and education that has taken place at Chalmers over the past 10 years. A broad base in combination with leading edge technology presented the opportunity to create a very strong research programme based on interaction between the various schools at Chalmers. As CEI is integrated into undergraduate and doctoral programmes at Chalmers, engineers, architects and doctoral students have access, within the framework of their studies, to research-based environmental education with a focus on a sustainable society. CEI also co-operates with other parties, such as industry, politicians, various organisations and the general public, as a further means of contributing to sustainable development in society. Within CEI, seven new professors have been appointed within the following areas: Management for Sustainability Rolf Wolff, 1 June 2000 Environmental Systems Technology Anne-Marie Tillman, 1 September 2000 Sustainable Industrial Metabolism Christian Azar, 1 September 2000 Global Environmental Measurements Donal Murtagh, 1 November 2000 Green Chemistry William J. Frederick Jr, 1 August 2001 Sustainable Energy Systems Filip Johnsson, preliminary 1 October 2001 Design for Sustainable Urban Development Vacant: interviews during April 2001 The four professors appointed in 2000 are presented in this report as well as their declaration of intent for the next few years. At present, the CEI professors are involved with approximately 40 universities, institutes and industrial partners in the form of project co-operation and joint publications. The four professors have the greater proportion of their environmental research funded through external grants, compared to CEI. The proportion of faculty funds and other internal Chalmers funds is at present very low. A summary of the financing structure is also included in this report. During 2001, various forms of co-operation were initiated between the professors, such as joint project plans, doctoral students, courses and graduate schools. During autumn 2001, a residential seminar is planned for discussions within CEI as well as an open presentation of the project and the professors. This major in-house focus on environmental research has attracted attention externally and contributed to the opening up of new potential in combination with increased expectations. Since May 1, 2000, Chalmers has been a member of the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS), an association of some of the world’s foremost universities in the environmental field. AGS and other platforms form the basis for international research collaboration. CEI and other environmental activities have led to spin-off effects and contributed to increased interest in Chalmers as an environmental university. Chalmers and Göteborg University were, for example, jointly awarded the King Carl XVI Gustaf visiting professorship in environmental science for 2001-2002 and Margot Wallström received an honorary doctorate from Chalmers in 2001. A large number of well-known environmental researchers have also visited Chalmers to take part in conferences and seminars, including the winners of the Volvo Environmental Award for 2000 and the winner of the City of Göteborg International Environmental Award for 2000.