Joeri Rogelj (1980)
Occupation: Climate scientist
Nationality: Belgian
Why an honorary doctorate?
The VUB honoured Joeri Rogelj for his scientific and societal impact at the intersection of climate science and policy. His work on carbon budgets and emission pathways has guided governments worldwide and was crucial for the IPCC report on 1.5°C. He combines fundamental science with policy advice, contributing to solutions for the greatest challenge of our time.
"In our most optimistic scenario, the chance of staying below 1.5°C is only 10 to 20 percent."
About his career
Rogelj studied engineering and development studies at KU Leuven and earned his PhD in 2013 at ETH Zurich, focusing on uncertainties in low-emission scenarios. He worked at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and since 2018 at Imperial College London. He was Coordinating Lead Author of the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (2018) and Lead Author of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. He has also advised the UN Secretary-General and is a member of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.
Recognition
- Piers Sellers Prize (2016)
- International Science Council Early Career Scientist Award (2021)
- ETH Medal for his doctoral thesis (2014)
- Listed among the Reuters Top 1000 Climate Scientists (2021)
- Highly Cited Researcher (Web of Science) since 2019
What is an honorary doctorate?
VUB has awarded honorary doctorates every year since 1978 to personalities from the most diverse backgrounds who have made a remarkable contribution to their field and to society. From this solemn moment of recognition, they bear the honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa of VUB.