Honorary degree from the University of Siena
On March 21, 2025, the University of Siena held a ceremony at the Rector’s Office building to confer an honorary degree in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Sustainability. During the event, they even declared that scientist “Mathis Wackernagel is one of the most influential personalities, internationally, on sustainability issues”.
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I was recognized for co-creating, in the early 1990s with my Ph.D. advisor Bill Rees, the concept of the Ecological Footprint—a resource accounting system that measures the environmental impact of human activities. It estimates the amount of natural resources required to sustain an individual, city, or country’s way of living.
The honorary degree was also inspired by my co-founding of Global Footprint Network in 2003, an international research organization that develops tools to monitor both the availability of natural resources (biocapacity) and humanity’s demand on those resources (ecological footprint). The university highlighted as particularly noteworthy Global Footprint Network’s annual Earth Overshoot Day—the symbolic date marking when humanity has used up as much of the planet’s biological resources as Earth can regenerate in that year. Now I can call myself “dottore”. Grazie mille!
Ceremony
The University of Siena held a colorful, warm, and inspiring ceremony in celebration of my honorary degree. After presentations by the Rector Roberto di Piedra, Professor Riccardo Paoletti, and Professor Simone Bastianoni. As part of the ceremony, I was invited to speak about "How predictable is the future?". At the end, the university's choir closed the event with six amazing songs.
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Here is how Siena University summarized the event.
Here is the Diploma the University of Siena provided
This ornate certificate explains the process through the academic machinery, including the ministry of education, that led to bestowing me with the "Dottore Magistrale ad Honorem in Ecotossiclogia e Sostenibilità Ambientale".
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Media reaction
LA STAMPA - Interview of Mathis Wackernagel by Pino di Blasio on the 26th of March 2025: "Ogni anno calcolo quanto sfruttiamo la Terra. Le catastrofi sono evitabili, bisogna agire" - Mathis Wackernagel, lo scienziato che ha fondato il Global Footprint Network: «Serve un nuovo ordine basato su mutualità e solidarietà» (Every year I calculate how much we exploit the Earth. Disasters are preventable if we take action."- Mathis Wackernagel, the scientist who founded the Global Footprint Network: ”We need to engage with the spirit of mutuality and solidarity”).
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IL MANIFESTO - “Consume less to save the earth.” INTERVIEW by Daniela Passeri at the occasion of Mathis Wackernagel, creator of the “Ecological Footprint,” who spoke last Friday at the University of Siena and got an honorary degree.
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​SIENA FREE - A Mathis Wackernagel laurea magistrale ad honorem all’Università di Siena
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RADIO SIENA - Mathis Wackernagel, stoccata a Trump: "I paesi che non hanno vincoli sulle risorse fossili sono su una strada suicida" E proprio l'ambientalista svizzero Wackernagel non ha risparmiato critiche alle politiche ambientali dei Paesi che puntano ad un ritorno allo sfruttamento massiccio di fonti fossili e inquinanti.
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GREEN REPORT - Il creatore di impronta ecologica e Overshoot day ha ricevuto la laurea ad honorem dell’Università di Siena. Wackernagel: «Comprendere le forze che plasmano il futuro non comporta svantaggi, ma permette scelte che aumentano le possibilità di successo»
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GAZETTA DI SIENA - Unisi: laurea ad honorem al pioniere della sostenibilità che considera Siena un modello da seguire
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​SIENA NEWS - Laurea ad honorem a Wackernagel, Di Pietra: “Alcuni Paesi affermano il diritto a sprecare risorse. Sono arroganti verso l’umanità”​
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LA NAZIONE - Laurea ad honorem a Mathis Wackernagel. L’ideatore dell’impronta ecologica​
