Highly endowed environmental prize: recognition for clever inventor and tenacious lawyer

Federal President Frank Walter Steinmeier awarded the German Environmental Prize to climate lawyer Roda Verheyen and membrane filter engineer Klaus Vossenkaul in Aachen on Sunday. The award, presented by the German Federal Foundation for Environment (DBU), carries a total prize sum of 500,000 euros, making it one of the highest-value environmental distinctions in Europe. Steinmeier, who is scheduled to leave office at the beginning of next year, stated that this would be his final time presenting the honor. He expressed a sense of melancholy at the occasion while praising the recipients as role models who demonstrate that individual action can make a difference in environmental protection. The ceremony took place during a festive act organized by the foundation. DBU Secretary General Alexander Bonde described the two laureates as encouragers who show how progress can move forward positively. According to Bonde, Verheyen and Vossenkaul embody attitude, persistence, and innovation with a clear compass regarding environmental and climate protection. He noted that their work serves as a location factor for companies in Germany. The prize has been awarded annually since 1993, and this marks its 34th edition. It recognizes individuals who contribute significantly to environmental, nature, biodiversity, and resource conservation through innovative products, excellent research results, or lifetime achievements. Klaus Vossenkaul, an engineer from the Aachen metropolitan area, received the award for his innovative developments in membrane filtration technology for wastewater treatment in sewage plants. Vossenkaul is the founder and managing director of Membion, a company based in Roetgen, North Rhine-Westphalia, near Aachen. The firm employs 40 people and develops hollow fiber membranes designed to filter problematic substances such as microplastics, pathogens, and multi-resistant bacteria from sludge. Steinmeier highlighted Vossenkaul’s creativity and inventiveness, noting that the technology helps retrofit sewage plants to save space, energy, and costs. The president added that the technology protects valuable groundwater and contributes to the financial consolidation of the country by safeguarding life’s foundations. Roda Verheyen, a lawyer based in Hamburg, was recognized for enforcing legal provisions aimed at greater environmental and climate justice. She is known as a prominent advocate for climate issues and serves as a member of the Hamburg Constitutional Court. Her work involves acting as an expert witness, advising politics and civil society, and drafting lawsuits. Verheyen fights for climate justice and gives voice to people affected by climate change. In 2021, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled in favor of her constitutional complaint against the Climate Protection Act. The court determined that insufficient climate protection violated the fundamental rights of future generations. This ruling contributed to the court’s dictum requiring climate neutrality by 2045. During his speech, Steinmeier urged that climate protection maintain high priority despite daily political fluctuations and other crises concerning stability and security. He acknowledged that thoughts on the environment might have receded into the background for many due to current concerns. However, he argued that everyone feels the seriousness of the situation literally, comparing the planet’s rising temperature to a fever curve pointing clearly upward. Steinmeier pointed out that climate change affects Europe particularly strongly, stating that the continent is warming more than twice as fast as all others. The president referenced the previous summer as evidence of dramatic consequences. He cited burning forests, severely reduced shipping capabilities due to low water levels, and 16,000 additional deaths recorded by the Robert Koch Institute. These examples illustrated the need to question current ways of living and economic activity. Steinmeier explained that this introspection is necessary to leave a livable planet for children and grandchildren. He emphasized that the recipients of the prize show that every individual can make a difference. DBU Board Chair Kai Niebert praised Verheyen as a courageous fighter for climate and environmental protection. Niebert stated that she demonstrates what strengthens the rule of law: the ability of citizens not only to criticize state actions but to have them corrected by courts. Verheyen has shown many people possibilities to fight for their interests in the face of human-made climate change. She has given a hearing to private individuals, citizen initiatives, and civil society organizations in disputes with corporations and governments. Steinmeier mentioned that the German Environmental Prize has grown closer to his heart over the years. He had always looked forward to the ceremony with curiosity and tension, enjoying meeting people with engagement and innovative ideas. His successor will be elected by the Federal Assembly on January 30. The assembly consists of 630 members of the Bundestag and an equal number of electors from the federal states. The award money is split equally between the two winners. The event concluded with remarks from the laureates, though specific quotes from Verheyen were cut off in the available reports. The focus remained on the technical innovations of Vossenkaul and the legal strategies of Verheyen as complementary approaches to addressing environmental challenges. Both recipients were commended for their distinct contributions to protecting the environment through engineering and jurisprudence respectively.