Bavarian State Medal for the Environment for Stefan Dech
October 26, 2026
Bavarian State Medal for the Environment for Stefan Dech
Great news for the EOC: Prof. Dr. Stefan Dech, long-time director of the DFD, was awarded the Bavarian State Medal for outstanding achievements in the environmental domain on October 21 at the Munich Residenz. This medal is awarded annually by the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection to individuals, organizations, or municipalities and represents the highest honor that the Free State of Bavaria bestows in this field.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Dech with the Bavarian State Minister of the Environment and Consumer Protection, Thorsten Glauber
Credit:
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt- und Verbraucherschutz
In his laudatory speech, Bavarian Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber emphasized how Prof. Stefan Dech has not only played a key role in advancing Earth observation as an essential tool for sustainable planning – including in the area of climate adaptation – but has also consistently advocated for the clear and accessible presentation of scientific findings to the general public. “Illustrated books and exhibitions, such as the one at the Gasometer, have fascinated millions of people and raised their awareness of the challenges posed by global change,” the minister emphasized.
Last but not least, the expansion of the Chair of Remote Sensing in Würzburg into a leading international research center in cooperation with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) was also a key factor in this fantastic development.
Along with Stefan Dech, twelve other individuals were awarded the Bavarian State Medal this year for outstanding contributions to the environment. Among them was Reinhold Messner, with whom Stefan Dech co-authored the two books “Mountains from Space” and “m4 Mountains – The Fourth Dimension”.
The entire EOC cordially congratulates Stefan Dech on this well-deserved award!
