International Engineering and Technology Institute

September 21, 2026 — The International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI) is proud to officially announce the recipients of the 5th IETI Green Development and Sustainability Award (GDSA). This year's prestigious honor is awarded to two world-renowned scholars: Prof. Michael E. Mann from the University of Pennsylvania and Prof. Rob Jackson from Stanford University.

The GDSA is one of the highest honors established by IETI, designed to recognize and promote groundbreaking contributions to environmental protection, green development, climate action, and global sustainability. The award underscores IETI’s ongoing commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global environmental stewardship.

2026 Laureates and Citations

Prof. Michael E. Mann (University of Pennsylvania)
- Honors: Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member of The Royal Society.
- Citation:"For pioneering contributions to climate science and exceptional leadership in advancing the understanding and communication of human-induced climate change."
- Overview: Prof. Mann is a Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania and serves as Director of the Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media. His pioneering research in climate variability, paleoclimate, and anthropogenic climate change has laid a rigorous scientific foundation for global climate action, alongside his extraordinary leadership in science communication and public engagement.
Prof. Rob Jackson (Stanford University)
- Honors: Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Citation:"For outstanding contributions to global carbon-cycle science, greenhouse-gas mitigation, and science-based solutions for a sustainable future."
- Overview: Prof. Jackson is the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Provostial Professor at Stanford University and serves as Chair of the Global Carbon Project. His influential work spans global carbon cycling, greenhouse gas emissions (particularly methane), and energy-climate interactions, providing critical, science-based pathways for climate mitigation and global transition toward a low-carbon future.

About the IETI Green Development and Sustainability Award

Open to senior researchers and full professors in natural sciences, engineering sciences, and management sciences, the GDSA honors visionary leaders whose innovative research and international influence have a lasting, positive impact on our planet.

Past Laureates of the GDSA:

2025 (4th): Prof. Lonnie Thompson, The Ohio State University
2024 (3rd): Prof. Partha Dasgupta, University of Cambridge; Prof. Jinfeng Zhou, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
2023 (2nd): Prof. Ramesh Agarwal, Washington University in St. Louis; Prof. Jing Sun, Griffith University
2022 (1st): Prof. M. James C. Crabbe, Wolfson College, University of Oxford

IETI extends its warmest congratulations to Prof. Michael E. Mann and Prof. Rob Jackson for their monumental contributions to science and global sustainability.

For more information about the award and past laureates, please visit the IETI Green Award Official Page.