Mohan Munasinghe
Encyclopedia
Mohan Munasinghe is a Sri Lanka
n physicist
and economist
. With a focus on energy, sustainable development
and climate change
, he is the Chairman of the Munasinghe Institute for Development, the Director-General of the Sustainable Consumption Institute at the University of Manchester
, UK, and the Vice Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-AR4)
, that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
with former Vice President of the United States
Al Gore
. He has been involved in IPCC from its inception. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Green Cross International
and is a member of the Club of Rome. Furthermore, he has been an honorary senior advisor to the Sri Lankan government since 1980 and served as Chancellor of the International Water Academy in Oslo
and President-Emeritus and Founder of the Sri Lanka Energy Managers Assoc. (SLEMA). Also, Munasinghe was Advisor to the US President's Council on Environmental Quality
(PCEQ) from 1990 to 1992, Senior Energy Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka
from 1982 to 1987, and Senior Manager/Advisor at the World Bank
until 2002. As an academic, he serves as professor of sustainable development at the University of Manchester
, and visiting professor at the United Nations University
in Tokyo
. He has authored or co-authored over 90 academic books and several hundred journal articles. He is widely recognized for having first proposed the Sustainomics framework for making development more sustainable at the 1992 Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro
, and more recently for proposing the Millennium Consumption Goals at the United Nations
.
, U.S.A. in 1970, Ph.D.
in Solid State Physics from McGill University
, Canada, in 1973, and M.A. in Development Economics from Concordia University
, Canada, in 1975.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
. With a focus on energy, sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
and climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, he is the Chairman of the Munasinghe Institute for Development, the Director-General of the Sustainable Consumption Institute at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, UK, and the Vice Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-AR4)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
, that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
with former Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
. He has been involved in IPCC from its inception. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Green Cross International
Green Cross International
Green Cross International is an environmental organisation founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993, building upon the work started by the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
and is a member of the Club of Rome. Furthermore, he has been an honorary senior advisor to the Sri Lankan government since 1980 and served as Chancellor of the International Water Academy in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and President-Emeritus and Founder of the Sri Lanka Energy Managers Assoc. (SLEMA). Also, Munasinghe was Advisor to the US President's Council on Environmental Quality
Council on Environmental Quality
The Council on Environmental Quality is a division of the Executive Office of the President that coordinates federal environmental efforts in the United States and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental and energy policies and initiatives...
(PCEQ) from 1990 to 1992, Senior Energy Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
from 1982 to 1987, and Senior Manager/Advisor at the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
until 2002. As an academic, he serves as professor of sustainable development at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, and visiting professor at the United Nations University
United Nations University
The United Nations University is an academic arm of the United Nations established in 1973, which serves purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The UNU undertakes research into the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. He has authored or co-authored over 90 academic books and several hundred journal articles. He is widely recognized for having first proposed the Sustainomics framework for making development more sustainable at the 1992 Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, and more recently for proposing the Millennium Consumption Goals at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Education
Prof. Munasinghe was schooled in Royal College, Colombo. He received the B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. degrees in Engineering from Cambridge University, U.K. in 1967, S.M. and Ph. E.E. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, U.S.A. in 1970, Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Solid State Physics from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, Canada, in 1973, and M.A. in Development Economics from Concordia University
Concordia University
Concordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
, Canada, in 1975.
Other Select Honours
- Anita Garibaldi Gold Medal for meritorious services to humanity (Brazilian government,2007)
- Sarvodaya (Sri Lanka) Award for Humanity, Peace and Development(2007)
- Zayed International Prize for Environment (jointly with other authors) for contributions to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2006)
- Order of Fellowship (honoris causa) of the Independent University of Bangladesh for exceptional contributions to energy, economics and environment (Bangladesh,2005)
- Outstanding lifetime achievements award from 16 major professional bodies (Sri Lanka, 2003)
- Adelman-Frankel prize for unique and innovative contributions to energy research from the USAEE (US,2003)
- Green award for exceptional contributions to sustainable development from the Int. Federation of Environmental Journalists (1998)
- International best treatise award and medal for sustainable water resource management presented at the 1994 World Water Congress (Abu Dhabi,1994).
- Award for outstanding contributions to energy economics from the Int. Assoc. of Energy Economists (US,1986)
- Sinha Gold Medal for outstanding scientific achievement from the Lions Clubs InternationalLions Clubs InternationalLions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
(Sri Lanka,1985) - Albert M. Grass Prize (MIT, 1968)
- J. W. Beauchamp Prize(UK,1966)
Select bibliography
Prof. Munasinghe has authored over 90 academic books listed on his website. Recent publications include:External links
- MIND - Munasinghe Institute for Development - private, nonprofit organization, established to play a key role in nurturing communities of scholars and practitioners who will address sustainable development issues worldwide and explore viable means of achieving this goal in Sri Lanka and elsewhere without compromising economic, environmental and socio-cultural integrity.
- IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change