The Club of Rome today (July 15) publicly announced via social media that Dr. Jenn-Chuan Chern, CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation and Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at National Taiwan University, has been elected as a Full Member. Dr. Chern was selected due to his long-standing dedication to sustainable development, disaster mitigation and post-disaster reconstruction, and the circular economy, bringing extensive experience and contributions. He is a globally recognized expert in hazard mitigation and sustainable infrastructure, having authored numerous influential publications and delivered keynote lectures around the world.
The Club of Rome highlights that Dr. Chern previously served as Minister without Portfolio and Minister of the Public Construction Commission in Taiwan's Executive Yuan, where he led major infrastructure and post-disaster reconstruction initiatives. He is also an Honorary Member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and served as CEO of the Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council. Highly active in international affairs, he holds significant positions such as Vice President and Academician of the International Academy of Engineering (IAE), President of the Society of Social Management Systems (SSMS), President of the Taiwan Chapter of the International Academy of Engineering (TCIAE), and past Chair of the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC) Executive Committee. The Club of Rome looks forward to his contributions of deep expertise in sustainable infrastructure and resilience planning, aiding global dialogue for systemic change.
The Club of Rome is an influential international think tank established in 1968. It is dedicated to exploring long-term global challenges, particularly issues such as sustainable development, climate change, resource depletion, population growth, economic systems, and social justice. The Club utilizes its members' unique collective knowledge to propose innovative ideas and develop comprehensive solutions for today's complex and interconnected global challenges, exerting a profound influence on global policy circles, academia, and environmental movements.
Reports and recommendations from the Club of Rome are often referenced by international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Union, especially in the formulation of sustainable development and climate policies. Its publication, The Limits to Growth (1972), became a milestone for the Club by simulating the Earth's future sustainability using system dynamics. Translated into over thirty languages, it has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and is hailed as one of the 20th century's most influential environmental and economic warnings.
Club of Rome members largely consist of former heads of government, scientists, economists, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Members and national members hail from approximately 50 countries, with around 100 active Full Members who wield significant political and academic influence. Previous national leaders elected as Full Members include 2014 Tang Prize Laureate in Sustainable Development and former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Czech President Václav Havel, and former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. While 2022 Tang Prize Laureate in Sustainable Development Jeffrey Sachs and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev are not Club of Rome members, they have closely collaborated and allied on ideas, activities, and policy advocacy. Taiwanese members previously elected include Honorary Member Fredrick Chien, former President of the Control Yuan, and Full Member Professor Kuo-Wei Huang, Vice President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Chern, having just been elected as a Full Member of the Club of Rome, expressed his expectation to utilize this platform to introduce the Club of Rome's most cutting-edge expert capabilities and forward-looking knowledge insights. He also hopes to share Taiwan's experience in disaster prevention, relief, and reconstruction when facing large-scale disasters under vulnerable environmental conditions and frequent natural calamities, particularly in the context of sustainable development and climate change, demonstrating how Taiwan has accumulated and developed a preliminary Social Management System by integrating resources from government, academia, NGOs, industry, and local communities with sustainable development as its goal.
Dr. Chern further expressed that the Tang Prize is an international academic award with sustainable development as its core focus, encompassing both natural and social sciences. He also hopes to leverage the Club of Rome's global influence to promote the Tang Prize's sustainable development values and foster global exchange. By dedicating the life experiences of Tang Prize Laureates, he aims to inspire young people and make the world a better place.
