Kohn Foundation Pledges £1million to the Royal Society to Fund Climate Change Studies. (August 16, 2007)

Dr Ralph Kohn

   In 1991 Ralph Kohn set up the Kohn Foundation to support work in scientific and medical research, in innovation, the arts, education and humanitarian aid. Dr Kohn had founded in 1969 Advisory Service (Clinical and General) Ltd., one of the first independent research companies providing pharmaceutical and medical services to the pharmaceutical industry and the success of his company allowed him to set and continue to support the Kohn Foundation.

The Foundation has just pledged £1million (A$2.5 million) to fund climate change studies as part of a new Science Policy Centre at the Royal Society.

Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society said: "This gift will help the Royal Society maintain its crucial role in pushing the issue of climate change to the top of everyone's agenda. It will enable us to continue to provide impartial and unbiased advice to decision-makers and the general public on a range of important scientific issues."

In its announcement the RS said that the pledge will allow it to broaden its focus on climate change "to include issues such as alternative fuels for transport, new technologies for mitigating climate change, adaptation to the impacts of climate change, as well as socio-economic issues arising from the effects of climate change."

Explaining the Kohn's Foundation decision, Dr. Kohn said: "The deeply worrying problems which we face as a result of climate change require expert handling and who better than the Royal Society to take a leadership role to deal with the issues involved".