York environmental studies Professor Peter Victor has been named the recipient of this year’s prestigious Canada Council Molson Prize in the social sciences for outstanding lifetime achievement.
Victor, a renowned research professor in York University’s Faculty of Environmental Studies, is being recognized for his trailblazing research which has led to the emergence of a new discipline named ecological economics. The $50,000 Molson Prize is presented by the Canada Council for the Arts in collaboration with the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council.
Right: Peter Victor
Two awards are bestowed upon Canadian scholars annually to honour their lifetime achievements and ongoing contributions to Canada’s cultural and intellectual life. Prizes are awarded in the social sciences and humanities category, or in the arts, with one prize offered in each category.
“A distinguished environmental economist, Peter is a most commendable choice for the Molson Prize,” said Stan Shapson, York’s vice-president research & innovation. “Peter has earned international recognition for his important contribution to the field of environmental studies and his commitment to research excellence. His recent book – Managing Without Growth – has received international attention. His work is a prime example of the leadership York University’s research-intensive faculty members continue to provide in order to advance knowledge and develop solutions to the many challenges we face in our everyday lives.”
A top expert in his field, Victor has examined environmental issues as an academic, consultant and public servant for more than four decades. His pioneering research explores the many ways in which the economy is embedded in and dependent on the environment.
“Professor Victor has demonstrated that we, as a society, can explore novel approaches to managing without economic growth while sustaining our environment and improving our lives,” said Barbara Rahder, dean of York's Faculty of Environmental Studies. “His groundbreaking research can have a far-reaching impact on how people all over the world can develop healthy communities for generations to come.”
Victor has written Managing Without Growth: Slower by Design, not Disaster, among several other publications. His extensive portfolio currently includes serving as a member of the advisory committee on the National Accounts for Statistics Canada, the academic advisory panel of TruCost, the board of the David Suzuki Foundation, the board of the New Economics Institute, and the editorial advisory boards of several academic journals. He was also recently appointed chair of the Greenbelt Council of Ontario (see YFile, June 2).
Republished courtesy of YFile– York University’s daily e-bulletin.