16. Nov. 2023
The 2023 Grundfos Prize keynote was delivered by Ass. Professor Kasper Retzel, University if Southern Denmark. He is part of a wider consortium of universities that we have put together to figure out how we can save our lakes from the deadly nutrients that wash out of Denmark's over-cultivated soil. And maybe even build technologies to recycle valuable natural resources.
Oxygen depletion has been a hot topic in the Danish news over the summer and well into the fall. The sea bottom is practically dead, and the problem is similar in our lakes – with catastrophic consequences for biodiversity and climate.
Usually, Nitrogen runs with the headlines, but in Denmark’s lakes Phosphorus is the main culprit. It is also a precious resource which it would make sense to find ways to recycle.
"Nitrogen gets most of the blame for Oxygen depletion and a lot of media attention, but I would like to take the opportunity today to basically ignore Nitrogen for a while and focus mainly on Phosphorus and how it plays an important role not only for our aquatic systems but for our whole society."
Associate Professor Kasper Reitzel
Watch Associate Professor Kasper Reitzel’s keynote below to learn more about the important role Phosphorus plays in our aquatic environment and in our food production:
Sustainable lake restoration: From the bottom to the crop from Grundfos Foundation | PDJF on Vimeo.
Find out more about the Grundfos Prize