Press release

IISD Senior Fellow Konrad von Moltke Passes Away

May 18, 2005

"We will miss his humanity," says IISD President

WINNIPEG — On May 19, 2005, Konrad von Moltke, PhD, a Senior Fellow of IISD, passed away in Vermont. Von Moltke had fought a short, but courageous battle with cancer.

"I have known Konrad for more than 30 years and his passing leaves a great void. We will miss Konrad's gentle wit. We will miss his legendary creative summers where he would hole up in Vermont for a month or two and suddenly produce a piece of pure genius on trade and investment, or the future of the international environmental governance regime, or how to persuade the Chinese Government that the time has come to look at its influence on global commerce, rather than the other way round," said David Runnalls, IISD's President.

"But most of all we will miss his humanity. Born to the ultimate patrician German military family, he despised conflict and worried that his homeland occasionally showed signs of veering away from democracy. He was committed to European unity and worked tirelessly to establish pan-European civil society organizations that could complement the formal political ones established under the various EU treaties. Raised also in the American tradition, he lamented the loss of civility and sophisticated political debate in his adopted country," added Runnalls.

"This is a sad time for IISD," said Runnalls. "We have lost a friend, mentor and visionary."

The Board, staff and associates of IISD extend their condolences to the family of Konrad von Moltke.

Konrad von Moltke Biography

Selected IISD Publications Authored and Co-authored by Konrad von Moltke

About IISD

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is a globally recognized think tank with 3 decades of experience working to solve the world’s most pressing sustainable development challenges. We combine deep expertise in a wide range of issues with a collaborative approach to research, policy advice, and hands-on support to ensure these solutions are brought to life. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we are a diverse team of over 300 professionals working from offices in Canada, Switzerland, and other locations around the world.