Inaugural Public Program
Registration at 3.45 pm
Program at 4.00 pm
Close at 5.30 pm

“We are poised to do more damage to the Earth in the next 35 years than we have done in the last 1,000.” – Brian Schmidt, Astrophysicist & 2011 Recipient of Nobel Prize in Physics

Global average temperatures are set to rise four degrees Celsius by the end of the century, should we not take steps to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Experts warn that a rise of this magnitude would reshape the planet and could lead to catastrophic consequences. Further contributing to the precarious state of the planet are issues such as deforestation, soil and water degradation, ocean acidification, chemical pollution and environmentally-triggered disease. This is exacerbated by the impact of rapid urbanization, particularly in Asia, where many emerging economies rely on dirty fossil fuel to power their growth leading to significant problems should these nations fail to adopt cleaner alternatives. To mitigate some of these adverse effects, major changes are necessary in how we live, work and travel. Join us for the inaugural public program of the 4th Nobel Laureates Symposium on Global Sustainability during which Nobel Laureates from various disciplines will debate some of the core problems associated with climate change and discuss sustainable solutions to support humanity.

Prof. Peter Doherty began his professional life as a veterinarian, where he was introduced to thinking about food security, ecology and environmental sustainability. Known for his laboratory based research on immunity to viruses - and recognized by the 1996 Nobel Prize - he is involved with efforts to develop a universal influenza vaccine. An advocate of public discussion on the importance of science, he has written four “lay” books on issues such as pandemic infections and science and society.

Prof. Yuan T. Lee served as President of Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Prior to that, he was University Professor at UC Berkeley, and has also taught at the University of Chicago. Prof. Lee was elected President of the International Council for Science in 2008 and served from 2011 to 2014. He has received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and Doctor Honoris Causa from 40 universities. Prof. Lee received his B.S. degree from National Taiwan University and doctorate from UC Berkeley.

Prof. Brian Schmidt is Distinguished Professor at the Australian National University. In 1998, under his leadership, the HighZ Supernova Search team discovered the expansion rate of the Universe was accelerating, earning him the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, US Academy of Science and Royal Society, and was made a Companion of the Order of Australia. Prof. Schmidt completed his Master's degree and PhD at Harvard University.

Prof. Ada Yonath is the Kimmel Professor of structural biology at the Weizmann Institute of Science. She previously headed a Max-Plank Research Unit in Hamburg. She studies the universal fundamental process of translating the genetic code into proteins, focusing on ribosomes, the cellular “factories” performing this task. She is the recipient of numerous awards including Israel Prize, Wolf Prize, Albert Einstein World Award for Excellence, and Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009. 

Prof. Gabriel Lau is an AXA Professor of Geography and Resource Management in Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He was previously Lead Scientist of the Climate Diagnostics Project at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and also Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Princeton University. Prof. Lau was a contributing author and lead author of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports. He graduated from CUHK and received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Washington. (Moderator)

The 4th Nobel Laureates Symposium on Global Sustainability, co-organized by the Asia Society Hong Kong Center and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, takes place between April 22 and 25. Entitled “4C: Changing Climate, Changing Cities”, it brings together a distinguished group of Nobel Laureates, experts and academics in their respective fields to address crucial issues of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development. 

Shuttle service generously supported by BMW

*Click here to return to the 4th Nobel Laureates Symposium on Global Sustainability - 
“4C: Changing Climate, Changing Cities” webpage.