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E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE |
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2007 Blue Planet Prize Announcement of Prize Winners |
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TOKYO, ALABAMA, Jun. 25 -/E-Wire/-- Professor Joseph L. Sax (U.S.A.) For drafting the world's first modern environmental law based on public trust doctrine supporting citizen action for protection of the environment, and for his pioneering contributions in development of the theory of environmental protection law and in establishing environmental laws internationally
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Dr. Amory B. Lovins (U.S.A.) For his contributions to leading global energy strategy for protection of the global environment by efficient utilization of energy through his advocacy of the concept of the "soft energy path" and invention of the Hypercar.
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This year marks the 16th awarding of the Blue Planet Prize, the international environmental award sponsored by the Asahi Glass Foundation, chaired by Hiromichi Seya. Two Blue Planet Prizes are awarded to individuals or organizations each year that make outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application, and in so doing help to solve global environmental problems. The Board of Directors and Councillors selected the following recipients for this year.
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1. Professor Joseph L. Sax (U.S.A.) Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley
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Professor Sax has been and still is the leading environmental law scholar in the United States and the world, and is a pioneer of various environmental laws in the U.S. such as the law on water rights, the development of citizens-right litigation strategies, and environmental impact assessment laws. In particular, he is famous for the Michigan Environment Protection Act, popularly known as the "Sax Act," the world's first modern environmental law drafted on the basis of public trust doctrine. And not only in the United States, but also internationally, he has supported many governments and multi-national organizations such as the United Nations, has been influential in the development of theory on environmental protection for international law and has articulated many ideas on issues in international environmental law. Recently, he is serving important roles and making active contributions not only to protection of the environment but also of cultural properties, arguing the need for implementation of public trust doctrine in protection of cultural treasures and historical and archaeological resources.
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2. Dr. Amory B. Lovins (U.S.A.) Chairman and Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute
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For the last 40 years and through work in more than 50 countries, Dr. Lovins has contributed to the efficient use of energy and the transition to renewable energy sources in order to protect the global environment. Since the 1970s, when he first advocated the concept of the "soft energy path" that forms the basis of these objectives, he has consistently advocated and implemented pioneering ideas in energy and other fields. Among his achievements is the invention of the ultralight, ultra-energy-efficient Hypercar devised for significant reduction of the burden on the natural environment and the design of buildings with little or no net use of energy. In co-authored works Factor Four: Doubling Wealth—Halving Resource Use (1997) and Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution (1999) showed how to double wealth and halve resource use by quadrupling resource productivity (production of goods and services per unit of resource input), and the importance of natural resources and the ecosystem. The broad reach of his activities shows the way towards resolving today's intricately intertwined issues of energy, environment, resources, development, and security.
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Both recipients will be awarded a certificate of merit, a commemorative trophy and a supplementary award of 50 million yen. The awards ceremony will be held on October 17, 2007 (Wednesday), at the Tokyo Kaikan (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo). The commemorative lectures by the prize recipients will be held at the United Nations University (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo) the next day, on October 18 (Thursday).
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*This press release may also be viewed on the Internet from June 21, 2007 at www.af-info.or.jp.
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Report on the Selection Process (16th Annual Prize, 2007)
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A total of 1,050 nominators from Japan and 1,350 nominators from other countries recommended 121 candidates. The fields represented by the candidates, in order of number, were ecology (40), environmental economics and policy making (23) and atmospheric and earth sciences (20). The candidates represented 29 countries; 15 persons, 12 percent of the total, were from developing countries. After individual evaluation of the 121 candidates by each Selection Committee member, the committee was convened to narrow down the field. The results of their deliberation were examined by the Presentation Committee, which forwarded its recommendations to the Board of Directors and Councilors. The Board formally resolved to award the Prize to Professor Joseph L. Sax, and Dr. Amory B. Lovins.
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For more information, please contact: Shunichi Samejima THE ASAHI GLASS FOUNDATION 2nd Floor, Science Plaza, 5-3 Yonbancho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0081 Japan Phone +81-3-5275-0620 Fax +81-3-5275-0871 e-mail: post@af-info.or.jp URL: http://www.af-info.or.jp
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/SOURCE:
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The Asahi Glass Foundation |
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06-25-2007 |
/CONTACT:
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Shunichi Samejima THE ASAHI GLASS FOUNDATION 2nd Floor, Science Plaza, 5-3 Yonbancho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0081 Japan Phone +81-3-5275-0620 Fax +81-3-5275-0871 e-mail: post@af-info.or.jp URL: http://www.af-info.or.jp |
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http://www.af-info.or.jp
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