PRESS CONFERENCE ON UNEP ENVIRONMENT AWARD

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE ON UNEP ENVIRONMENT AWARD

"A lot of the environmental destruction that has been going on has not been done intentionally, it's been done out of ignorance", said Barbara Pyle, winner of the 1997 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Sasakawa Environment Prize, during a press conference at Headquarters this morning. Ms. Pyle, Vice-President of Environmental Policy for Turner Broadcasting System, was awarded the prize for writing, directing and producing television programmes that raised environmental awareness around the world. The Executive Director of UNEP, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, and a member of the prize selection Committee, Russell Peterson, were also at the press conference.

Since 1984, the UNEP Sasakawa Prize has awarded $200,000 to individuals who have made an outstanding global contribution to the management and protection of the environment. Ms. Pyle is the first member of the media to win the award, which has previously been given to environmental leaders and scientists. Ms. Dowdeswell described Ms. Pyle as an environmentalist who had utilized her media talents to make the world aware of environmental problems. "She is a skilled media specialist who knows how to make environmental issues interesting, accessible, understandable and fun."

Using the global reach of CNN, her work had been seen by approximately 2 billion people worldwide, Ms. Dowdeswell continued. Since joining CNN in 1980, Ms. Pyle had written, directed and produced numerous television programmes on the environment and had produced more than 35 films, which had won more than 75 awards. She also founded Earth Matters, CNN's daily environmental news feature and weekly programme on the environment. In 1994, she launched the television series People Count, which highlights the success stories behind United Nations summits and conferences on the environment.

To bring environmental issues to the awareness of children, Ms. Pyle became executive director of Captain Planet and the Planeteers, an animation series dealing with global environmental issues, said Ms. Dowdeswell. She was also the founder of the Captain Planet Foundation, an organization that awards grants to children's grass-roots environmental projects.

Mr. Peterson, a member of the Sasakawa Environment Prize selection committee, said Ms. Pyle had been a tremendous instrument in aiding the United Nations organizations and their programmes and provided substantial background for United Nations world conferences. She had also been influential in bringing together broadcasting companies around the world to collaborate on environmental programs. In her efforts to create quality environmental television programmes, she had also helped turn Turner Broadcasting System into one of the most potent organizations for presenting environmental messages to the global community.

Ms. Pyle said her work on environmental programming began in 1980, when she and Ted Turner, President of Turner Broadcasting System, received the

Environment Award Press Conference - 2 - 12 November 1997

Global 2000 Report to the President. The report said the world faced urgent problems in the decades ahead, including the loss of half of the world's forests and one fifth of the world's plants. It also predicted increased desertification and greater levels of carbon monoxide gas in the air.

"These were environmental trends", she said. "But I don't believe that trends are destiny. I believe that human will can intervene." She added that the award recognized the power of television in promoting environmental awareness. If people had the right information, they would make a decision in favour of the planet. She also hoped the award would motivate other environmental journalists to continue to cover their stories and fight to get them in newspapers and on television.

The role of the United Nations was especially important, she said, because environmental problems had become so large and international that no single country could solve them on its own. That idea was behind the creation of her cartoon figure, Captain Planet. In the animated series, five children from five continents created Captain Planet from their own will and cooperation. The cartoon showed what people and nations could do together to make the world a better place. "Captain Planet is one big flying metaphor for the United Nations", she said.

Ms. Pyle concluded by quoting from several environmental studies on the effects of pollution on global climate change. First, she said, a 1996 scientific study concluded that there was evidence to suggests human influence on climate change. Second, a statement by 2,500 economists said there were policy options that would slow climate change without harming American living standards. Finally, a report from the Physicians for Social Responsibility said it was time for the world to create a prompt and effective response to climate change.

Tore J. Brevik, director of Information and Public Affairs for the United Nations Environment Project, introduced the speakers in the press conference. Yasuobu Ishii was present to represent The Nippon Foundation, the award's sponsor.

This year's Sasakawa Prize winner was selected on 30 June by an independent panel of international leaders and environmental experts. The panel, appointed by the Secretary-General, consisted of six members from six regions around the world. The prize was founded by Ryoichi Sasakawa, a Japanese businessman and philanthropist.

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