The Asahi Glass Basis, based mostly in Japan, introduced right this moment that the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Providers (IPBES) has been chosen as one of many two recipients of the 2024 Blue Planet Prize.
Among the many prime world sustainability awards, the Blue Planet Prize is awarded yearly to people and organizations to acknowledge excellent achievements in scientific analysis and its utility, which have helped present options to world environmental issues. The prize consists of an award of US$500,000.
As one of many 2024 laureates, the prize acknowledges IPBES as “the main world authority on the state of information and science about biodiversity, ecosystem companies and nature’s contributions to individuals”, highlighting the essential position that IPBES has performed in informing and shaping environmental insurance policies and motion.
Making the announcement, Takuya Shimamura, Chair of the Asahi Glass Basis, stated: “The work of IPBES is central to the worldwide efforts and negotiations beneath a variety of multilateral processes and organizations – particularly the Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs) and the Conference on Organic Range (CBD).”
In deciding on IPBES, the Board of Administrators of the Asahi Glass Basis famous that IPBES evaluation studies “facilitate higher science-informed coverage and motion throughout scales, sectors, and data techniques. As rising numbers of firms additionally begin to consider, disclose and enhance their impression on the atmosphere, companies are additionally utilizing the IPBES studies to assist form their company sustainability methods and ESG actions.”
Welcoming the announcement, IPBES Chair Dr. David Obura stated: “Your entire IPBES neighborhood is deeply honored by this great accolade. It acknowledges the invaluable work of 1000’s of IPBES scientists and knowledge-holders, together with Indigenous and native communities, and the contributions they proceed to make in the direction of reaching our most necessary world growth targets, particularly by means of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal World Biodiversity Framework (often known as the Biodiversity Plan).”
Additionally reacting to the announcement, IPBES Govt Secretary Dr. Anne Larigauderie stated: “We thank the Asahi Glass Basis for this expression of assist for our work. Insurance policies and actions are simplest when grounded in one of the best accessible science, and have the best adaptability to dynamic circumstances, making certain long-term sustainability. The experience and proof that IPBES gives helps all determination makers to raised perceive the deeply advanced, however vitally necessary challenges going through biodiversity and nature’s contributions to individuals.”
Larigauderie continued: “The identify of the Blue Planet Prize was impressed by the phrases of the primary human in house, Yuri Gagarin, who stated “the Earth is blue”. Seen from house, the Earth is fragile and small – price defending and preserving. The work of IPBES presents everybody an opportunity to actually see our pure world from a distinct set of views – based mostly on proof, data and experience from each nook of our ‘pale blue dot’. Will probably be our honour to obtain this prize on behalf of all IPBES specialists, our 146 member States and the very engaged IPBES stakeholder neighborhood.”
The Award Ceremony will happen on 23 October 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. A sequence of associated occasions and commemorative lectures will happen in each Tokyo and Kyoto.
The opposite 2024 laureate is Prof. Robert Costanza, from the Institute for World Prosperity, College School London, who has been acknowledged for his foundational contributions to the sphere of ecological economics.
Previous winners embrace distinguished figures within the area of conservation and sustainable growth, in addition to some scientists intently related to the work of IPBES, reminiscent of Sir Robert Watson, who served as IPBES Chair from 2016 to 2019.
