Two main prizes and ten special prizes were presented to the best projects in this year's National Environment Competition (BUW)

A total of two main prizes, the highest BUW prize category, were awarded to projects from Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. A total of 10 special prizes, the second-highest award in the competition, went to projects from Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Bremen.

Competition participants from the best 12 projects were honored for their achievements at a ceremony on September 30, 2023 in Berlin at the betterplace Umspannwerk bUm as part of this year's BUW awards ceremony.

The main and special prizes were presented by Prof. Dr. Gunnar Friege (Chairman of the BUW I competition jury and Professor of Physics Education at Leibniz Universität Hannover) and Prof. Dr. Gerrit Schüürmann (Chairman of the BUW II competition jury and former Head of the Department of Ecological Chemistry at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig and Professor of Theoretical and Ecological Chemistry at TU Bergakademie Freiberg).

Stella Schaller, who also gave the keynote speech, was present at the award ceremony. Stella Schaller is a systemic transformation facilitator, sustainability consultant and book author. Harry Funk, who is a consultant for climate education and education for sustainable development in Berlin schools at the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family, gave the welcoming speech at the ceremony.

For the 33rd BUW round, a total of 247 project entries were submitted by 655 youths and young adults between the ages of 10 and 20. The entries submitted in this round of the competition once again show that the great deal of interest among young, dedicated people in working on innovative projects with important and topical issues relating to sustainable development and environmental protection, such as climate change, resource conservation, species and water protection, and artificial intelligence.

More information on the award-winning projects and the 33rd BUW can be found in the current 2022/2023 BUW press kit at: https://www.scienceolympiaden.de/buw/mappen

The annual National Environment Competition (BUW) honors students and young adults whose projects investigate the causes of environmental problems and tackle these problems with creativity and commitment in line with the competition motto "From Knowledge to Sustainable Action".

BUW is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and organized and carried out by the IPN - Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education in Kiel. The competition is endorsed by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of Germany (KMK).

BUW's jury members and the competition officers in the federal states, as well as the competition sponsors, have been instrumental in the success of this year's competition.

Conctact at the IPN:
Dr. Marc Eckhardt
Competition Manager
eckhardt@leibniz-ipn.de