2024 Blue Planet Prize: Announcement of Prize Laureates

1.

Professor Robert Costanza (USA & Australia) born on September 14, 1950, in the United States

Ecological Economics at the Institute for Global Prosperity, University College London

In a groundbreaking 1997 paper, Professor Costanza and colleagues demonstrated, for the first time, that the ecosystem services provided by nature to humans far exceed the economic value of the world’s GDP at that time. This work brought global attention to the previously understated importance of ecosystem services. As a co-founder of ecological economics, a new field of study that recognizes that the economy is embedded in society and a finite biosphere, Professor Costanza actively advocates for an ecologically sustainable, wellbeing society.

2.

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

Established on April 21, 2012, IPBES secretariat: Bonn (Germany)

IPBES is the leading global authority on the state of knowledge and science about biodiversity, ecosystem services and nature’s contributions to people. Their landmark Reports facilitate better science-informed policy and action across scales, sectors, and knowledge systems. As growing numbers of companies also start to evaluate, disclose and improve their impact on the environment, businesses are also using the IPBES Reports to help shape their corporate sustainability strategies and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) activities.