Mark Lawrence

Prof. Dr. Mark Lawrence is scientific director at the RIFS in Potsdam and an integrative scientist who addresses key challenges of the Anthropocene by bringing together and applying a wide range of academic expertise in his team, including his own background in atmospheric science, as well as going beyond this interdisciplinary foundation to also involve societal actors in a transdisciplinary approach. His main focal topics include air pollution, climate change, climate geoengineering, environment-related governance of vulnerable regions like the Himalayas and the Arctic, implementation of transdisciplinary processes and transformative spaces, and the interface between sustainability research and spirituality. He also actively supports whole person development as a component of planetary health, including exploring the common ground between the personal transformations and systemic transformations that will be associated with sustainable development, as well as the mindsets needed to bring these into harmony.

Among other things, he has been a member of the German Council for Sustainable Development since January 2023, co-chair of the Science Platform Sustainability 2030 (wpn2030) since 2020, a board member of the German Climate Consortium (DKK) since 2021, and a member of the steering committee of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Germany (SDSN) since 2016