• H2020
• Societal Challenges
• Climate Action

Professor Mary Ritter, chief executive of Climate-KIC, has been presented with an OBE for services to scientific research and innovation by the Prince of Wales.

The ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace in London and coincided with a series of extreme weather events across the UK.

Ritter said: “I am highly honoured and absolutely thrilled. While the OBE is a personal award, it is also a recognition of all those who have worked with me throughout my scientific research career, especially my colleagues in Climate-KIC, and who made it all possible.”

Headquartered in London, Climate-KIC is the EU’s largest public private climate innovation partnership and is focused on practical short and long term solutions for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The ceremony coincided with one of the worst storms to hit the UK so far this winter, which has caused large areas of England and Wales to be flooded and has left thousands of homes without power.

Ritter commented: “My thoughts go out to the people dealing with the dreadful effects of the extreme weather across the UK today. The recent series of extreme weather situations highlight the need for us to work on innovations to adapt to a changing climate and to militate against further climate change.”

In the last three years, Climate-KIC has grown from a membership of 15 organisations with a €6m budget, to a community of over 200 partners across Europe from business, academia and the public sector, with a budget of more than €70m for 2014 and a mission to mitigate and adapt to climate change while creating sustainable growth and jobs.