24 March 2017

ICIS Alumna Annika de Flor wins Kremers Award

Annika de Flor has won the Kremers Award 2016 for her Master thesis: 'Water-related Ecosystem Services in the Environmental Impact Assessments in the Peruvian mining industry’. The study addresses two methods (the broad and innovative Environmental Impact Assessment and the Ecosystem Services) used to assess the impact of the maintenance or opening of mines in the Conga district of Peru.

In its assessment, the jury looked for high quality studies of regional socio-economic development of an innovative nature. In doing so, they took into account not only scientific standards, but also focused expressly on the applicability of the studies to companies and local authorities.

The study addresses two methods (the broad and innovative Environmental Impact Assessment and the Ecosystem Services) used to assess the impact of the maintenance or opening of mines in the Conga district of Peru. It is a case study with research conducted in the region, interviews, analysis of media communications and the literature. Clear evaluation criteria were used, and the conclusions of proponents and opponents were compared. The jury was struck by the strength of the justification of the research design. It considers that the applicability of the research, which is clearly and usefully formulated in the final chapter, is strong. The fact that this study is about mines (albeit in a different part of the world) fits in perfectly with the purpose and intention of the Kremers Award.

International Centre for Integrated assessment and Sustainable development (ICIS)

Kapoenstraat 2

Maastricht

Since Annika is still in Peru at the moment she unfortunately was not able to receive the award herself. But luckily one of her friends (far left) was there to receive the award on de Flora's behalf.

Kremers Award

The Kremers Award is named after Dr. Johan (Sjeng) Kremers, former Queen’s Commissioner of the Dutch province of Limburg from 1977 to 1990. He also was the founder and first president of the Scientific Council for Government Policy.

The Prize is being set up to commemorate the impressive restructuring activity that took place after the closure of the coal mines in the South Limburg region between 1965 and 2010. The lessons learned during this process, described in the study published in 2013 ‘Na de mijnsluitingen’ (‘After closing the mines’) are of great relevance to all those involved in innovative regional development programmes. The Prizes are also intended to encourage higher education students (in both vocational and academic streams) to engage in dynamic and innovative regional development in the social and economic fields.

In addition, students who have recently gained a PhD relating to socio-economic regional development will have the opportunity to submit their thesis for a separate Prize.

The Prizes have been established by the Stichting Behoud Mijnhistorie (SBM) in collaboration with Brainport 2020.

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Sjeng Kremers

The son of a miner, Kremers played an essential role in the restructuring of South Limburg. As Queen’s Commissioner he conducted an active economic policy to reduce the effects of the mine closures and to push back unemployment.

Background information about Sjeng Kremers - name giver of the Kremers Award