Chinese scientist Qu Jiuhui wins the Sustainability Award 2024 of the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation for his outstanding research and development in the field of safe drinking water in San Francisco on Wednesday, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said in a statement on its website. [Photo/Xinhua]

Professor Qu Jiuhui from Tsinghua University's School of Environment, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a research professor of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, won the Sustainability Award 2024 of the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation for his outstanding research and development in the field of safe drinking water in San Francisco on Wednesday.

This year marks the first time the award has been given in the field of water research, reflecting the significant progress in water science and technology in China.

Qu Jiuhui said that water is a crucial strategic resource for ensuring sustainable development. The advancement of water technology will benefit many developing countries around the world, and he looks forward to collaborating with more institutions to provide a Chinese solution to the global water crisis.

Professor Qu, has been at the forefront of China’s water technology innovation initiatives for more than two decades.

He has developed a comprehensive technical system "from source to tap" ensuring safe drinking water in both urban and rural areas while addressing water risks. This initiative has positively impacted more than 200 million people in China and around the world.

In response to China's practical needs for achieving carbon neutrality goals in wastewater treatment, Qu led the construction of the world's first wastewater resource factory in Yixing city, Jiangsu province, spearheading innovation in low-carbon environmental management concepts and processes.

As an advisor to the UN Environment Program (UNEP), he has been instrumental in establishing a dynamic collaborative framework for sharing and adapting water treatment technologies between China and other developing nations such as Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The Sustainability Awards recognize distinguished individuals, organizations, or companies in different fields for their contribution to fostering, innovating, and implementing sustainable solutions for the wellbeing of society, the economy and the planet.