2013 Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication Bestowed Upon Nicholas Stern

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Climate One at The Commonwealth Club announced today that Nicholas Stern (Lord Stern of Brentford), an eminent economist who is chairman of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science and President of the British Academy, will be awarded the third annual Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. The $10,000 award is given to a natural or social scientist who has made extraordinary scientific contributions and has an outstanding record of communicating the findings effectively to a broad public. The award was established in honor of Stephen Henry Schneider, one of the founding fathers of climatology who died suddenly in 2010.

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Lord Stern authored the highly influential report in 2006 on the 'The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review,' which was commissioned by the UK Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer. It concluded that the problem was one of risk management on an immense and unprecedented scale, and that the costs of inaction were far greater than the costs of action. He has more recently emphasized the great opportunities in the transition to the low-carbon economy.

The award jurors are Professor Larry Goulder (Professor of Economics, Stanford University), Dr. Ben Santer (Climate Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), and Bud Ward (Editor, The Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media). The jury solicited nominations from a broad spectrum of anonymous experts in the fields of science and communication. Jurors Ben Santer and Larry Goulder decided that Lord Stern exemplifies the rare ability to be both an extraordinary analyst of climate policy options and a powerful communicator of the key policy findings.  Juror Bud Ward recused himself because his and Lord Stern's work have common sources of financial support.

In choosing Lord Stern, juror Goulder said, "Nick Stern stands out in his ability to assemble crucial information from earth scientists, biologists, technologists, and social scientists, to combine this information in a way that yields important climate-policy conclusions, and to communicate these  findings widely and effectively to the public."

Lord Stern said: "Steve Schneider provided inspiration to us all in the research community about how to communicate effectively with public audiences about climate change. In particular he showed how to tackle difficult aspects, such as uncertainty, in a clear and open way, whilst recognising the importance of framing climate change in terms of risk. I am very honoured to receive this award in Steve's memory, whose dedication and commitment to the communication of climate science has provided such a marvelous example to current and future generations of researchers."

Lord Stern will receive the award in San Francisco on Wednesday, Dec. 11th at The Commonwealth Club of California. The award is underwritten by Tom R. Burns, Nora Machado, Michael Haas, and ClimateWorks Foundation.  

Professor Lord Nicholas Stern
Lord Stern is best known for writing the "The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review," published in October 2006, which remains one of the most influential and comprehensive analyses on the subject. In addition to chairing the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, Lord Stern is the first IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, and director of the India Observatory at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He serves as president of the British Academy, which is the sister body to the Royal Society, for the humanities and social sciences. He was previously Chief Economist at the World Bank and head of the UK Government Economic Service.

Lord Stern's academic accolades include a B.A. in mathematics from Cambridge, a D.Phil (Ph.D.) in Economics from Oxford and Honorary Doctorates from several institutions, including Warwick, Cambridge and Paris-Dauphine. His research focuses on the economics of climate change, economic development and growth, economic theory, tax reform, public policy, and the role of the state and economies in transition. He is prominent in conveying the urgency of climate change, which he describes along with overcoming poverty as, "the defining challenge in the 21^st century." He has published more than 15 books and 100 articles, including in 2009 "A Blueprint for a Safer Planet." He was knighted for 'services to economics' in June 2004 and was introduced to the House of Lords in December 2007.

Dr. Stephen H. Schneider
Dr. Stephen H. Schneider was the Melvin and Joan Lane Professor for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies, Professor of Biological Sciences, Professor (by courtesy) of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a Senior Fellow in the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. Dr. Schneider received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Plasma Physics from Columbia University in 1971. He studied the role of greenhouse gases and suspended particulate material on climate as a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in 1972 and was a member of the scientific staff of NCAR from 1973-1996, where he co-founded the Climate Project. In 2002, Dr. Schneider was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Internationally recognized for research, policy analysis and outreach in climate change, Dr. Schneider focused on climate change science, integrated assessment of ecological and economic impacts of human-induced climate change, and identifying viable climate policies and technological solutions. He also consulted with federal agencies and/or White House staff in the Nixon, Carter, Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, Clinton and G.W. Bush administrations. His work is chronicled at climatechange.net.

Climate One
Climate One is the sustainability initiative at The Commonwealth Club of California, a nonprofit and nonpartisan public forum founded in San Francisco in 1903. The mission of The Commonwealth Club of California is to be the leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues important to the membership, community and nation. Climate One convenes influential thinkers and doers from business, government, academia and advocacy in a conversation about energy, economy, and the environment – to understand any of them, you have to understand them all. In addition to ongoing programs focusing on the full range of climate topics, Climate One focuses on food and agriculture, transportation, and building and land use. Its programs, hosted by founder Greg Dalton, are broadcast on KQED FM and other public radio stations around the country. Climate One's monthly TV program is broadcast on KRCB TV 22 in Northern California. Climate One. http://www.climate-one.org

SOURCE Climate One