Qin Dahe, an academic with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, won the Volvo Environment Prize for 2013 on Monday for his cryospheric science and global climate change research.

The cryosphere is one of the main components of the Earth's climate system, comprising snow, river and lake ice, sea ice, glaciers, ice shelves and frozen ground.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Qin's work has made outstanding contributions to the scientific understanding of the climate, both in China and worldwide. The prize is worth $209,000.