Category I: Global leadership in environment and sustainable development

Awarded to the BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION (BBC)

The Zayed International Prize for the Environment recognizes that, in this media dominated world, it is not just statesmen and women who drive awareness and change, but also the world’s broadcasters and newspapers.

In this field, the Zayed Prize jury considers that one media organization stands apart for its commitment, breadth of coverage and dedication to addressing global, regional and national environmental concerns.

The BBC, with its BBC World Service Radio broadcasting in over 40 languages, BBC World Television and BBC Online Internet service, has over many years brought these compelling issues into the living rooms of the globe. Its environmental coverage, both in hard-hitting news, features and documentaries, cuts across all networks and all programs.

The BBC has also demonstrated its commitment to environment issues at home through  the organization’s own sustainable development strategy aimed at reducing energy consumption and waste in its day to day operations. Its commitment was clearly demonstrated at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The BBC not only broadcast and reported in depth on the event, but its Earth Summit debate, co-produced with US and South African television partners, was widely applauded.

A key commitment has been the five times a week broadcast of the series Earth Report, The series, broadcast on the BBC since 1997, reaches nearly 300 million homes world-wide and around one million hotel bedrooms in 200 countries and territories.

In December 2003, the BBC broadcast its 300th Earth Report, with a programme covering the devastating impact of industrial soy cultivation in the Brazilian Amazon.

The series and its monthly interactive reports have not only shocked and entertained but brought about real change by inspiring businesses, NGOs and governments to adopt more environmentally friendly technologies, life-styles and policies.

Category II: Scientific/ technological achievements in environment (Shared)

Awarded to three Professors who established and enabled the IPCC:

(1) Professor Godwin Obasi (Nigeria)

(2) Professor Mostafa Kamal Tolba (Egypt)

(3) Professor Bert Bolin (Sweden)

Since the International Jury focused on the Atmosphere as the main theme of this cycle, they believed that the most important achievement in this field was the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which was established by the UNEP and WMO in 1988 in order to provide a forum for scientists from around the world to study and exchange information on the global problem of Climate Change. The Panel studied the scientific justification, determined the health and environmental impact and came up with practical alternatives and suggestions to stop or slow down the rate of change and rise in global temperature. The Panel also worked on mechanisms of adaptation with the impact of this serious problem.

The preliminary report produced by this Panel was the basis for the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to start negotiations towards an international convention for Climate Change. This important convention was articulated at the Earth Summit on Environment and Development which was held in Rio de Janeiro (1992). This was followed by the famous Koyoto Protocol, which calls for calculated reductions of Green-house Gases emissions from Industrial Countries. The world is still putting pressure on the USA and Russia to sign and ratify this protocol so that it can be implemental. The IPCC is still working hard providing more and more accurate data and explanations for the Climate Change at the global level.

Hence, the Jury looked back into the history of the IPCC and found that Prof. Obasi was a key person in the establishment, but two other prominent professors shared the credit with him. These are Prof. Mostafa Kamal Tolba, who was the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) at that time, and Prof. Bert Bolin of Stockholm University, who was the first Chair of the Scientific Committee.

Accordingly, the Jury agreed that the prize for the 2nd category would be shared by the three professors who worked together to establish and run the IPCC. These are Professor Godwin Obasi from Nigeria, Professor Mostafa Kamal Tolba from Egypt and Professor Bert Bolin from Sweden. Prof. Obasi was Secretary General of the WMO for over 20 years and his achievements and outstanding performance are well known among the international organizations and all those who are related to this field. Prof. Bolin is also well know in this field for his role in many national and international committees as well as his role at the Stockholm University.

Category III: Environmental action leading to positive change in society

Awarded to two highly recognized Activists,

(1) DR. BADRIA A. ALAWADI (Kuwait)

Dr . Badria Al Awadhi is an outstanding lawyer, outstanding in Law and environmental issues , studied the International Law in London University. In 1975, she had PhD from London on Legal Aspects of Maritime Pollution In The Arabian (Persian) Gulf,

At the international level, Dr. Badria is a member in a number of International organizations such as International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), International Law Association, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL), established at Kuwait University in 2001. She also served as the General Coordinator for ROPME for over 10 years. As an NGO, she is a founding member of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society and served as Secretary general for the Society for over 10 years. She is a Global 500 laureate.

Since 1975, she published several books and articles on various issues including the environment, human rights, women & children rights and books for environmental awareness designed for children.

Among the books published: International Law in Times of Peace and War With comparative Study of Islamic Law and its Application in Kuwait, Legal Views on National, Regional and International Events and on the implementation of the Law of the Sea in the Gulf Area.

(2) PROFESSOR JAMAL M. SAFI (Palestine)

In the late 1980s, Prof. Jamal M. Safi recognized the poor health and environmental and protection situation in the Palestinian territory (Gaza Strip and West Bank). Unlike many others he decided to care abut this situation, and, as a consequence, he founded the Environmental Protection and Research Institute in Gaza City. He started to submit proposals for applied and fundamental research projects which were suited to contribute to the improvement of the health and environmental protection situation in his country. His grant applications to different international organizations were highly successful during the last about thirteen years. In the research projects, among other, Prof. Safi developed methods for screening blood samples in the Palestinian hospitals’ blood banks for hepatitis and other infectious diseases, for screening the environment for insects and their larvae which convey infectious diseases, for screening soils and crops for heavy metals, for the use of sustainable agricultural techniques, and for bio remediation of polluted (saline) waters. One of the main aspects of these scientific and technical developments was that they had to be simply and easy to apply so that they could be used by people with limited training in an low-tech environment. In addition, Prof. Safi and his coworkers offered training courses to improve the skills of his compatriots who were to use the techniques developed in his institute.

Prof. Safi’s projects over the years have substantially improved environmental health within the Palestinian community. The formerly burdensome housefly and mosquito problems in the Gaza Strip have each been reduced 5-fold. The prevalence of hepatitis B was reduced from 6% to 3.3% and hepatitis C from 2.6 to 0.4%. Overall childhood lead poisoning was reduced from about 5% to 0.3%. Overall frequency of parasitic enteropathogens was reduced substantially; ascariasis, for example, was reduced from a prevalence of 60% to 37% in these children, and the density of eggs in soil from 10 eggs per 100g of soil to 3.3 over a five-year period. The cyanobacteria mats that were developed degraded aromatic petroleum-model compounds by 99% and aliphatic petroleum-model compounds by 86% within 100 days. Pesticide residuals in fruits and vegetables that are marketed in Gaza proved to lie within internationally acceptable limits. Heavy metal content in Gaza-produced compost over a period of five years and in the plants and groundwater associated with this fertilizer remained below internationally accepted standards. The organoclays that were developed blocked leaching of pesticides into groundwater almost completely. Trainees completing Prof. Safi’s courses included 150 school teachers, 120 agricultural engineers and 15 specialists in refugee health. These remarkable accomplishments are outstanding under any conditions and are truly remarkable, considering the difficult circumstances under which they were performed. Prof. Safi’s work has made a real difference in the lives of the Palestinian people and in their environment.