PRESS CONFERENCE BY WINNERS OF ANNUAL UNEP SASAKAWA ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY WINNERS OF ANNUAL UNEP SASAKAWA ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Even as the global environmental crisis was deepening, people were taking more notice and wanted more "hands-on" involvement, Ian Kiernan, the winner of the 1998 Sasakawa Environment Prize, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

Mr. Kiernan, who is from Australia, is the founder of the "Clean Up the World Campaign". He was awarded the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Sasakawa prize for his efforts to mobilize 40 million people in 120 countries to clean up their local environment. The prize, which is considered one of the world's most prestigious environmental awards, is worth $200,000 and is awarded annually to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the management and protection of the environment.

The press conference was attended by Lord Clinton-Davis, Acting Chairman of the Selection Committee; Takashi Ito, Director of International Affairs, the Nippon Foundation; and Adnan Z. Amin, Director of UNEP's Regional Office of North America.

Mr. Amin said Mr. Kiernan's vision and determination had given birth to a truly global movement. In six years, "The Clean Up the World Campaign" had become part of the global "green calendar". It was a shining example of how one individual could make a difference. Mr. Kiernan had demonstrated how ordinary people -- men, women and children -- had it in their hands to contribute substantially to a better quality of life for themselves and their communities.

Lord Clinton-Davis said Mr. Kiernan's outstanding contribution had been to make people aware of what was at stake if the environment was neglected or if governments were indifferent. The Campaign had shown how to mobilize ordinary people and sustain their efforts. While sailing, Mr. Kiernan had wondered how Sydney Harbour, Australia and the world could be cleaned up. His Campaign idea had also shown how to get the private and public sector involved. In six short years, he had captured the imagination of so many and single-handedly done so much to arrest environmental degradation.

Mr. Ito said the Nippon Foundation was founded about 36 years ago by Ryoichi Sasakawa and, since then, had given grants to both Japanese and foreign institutions. Grants to institutions outside Japan totalled hundreds of millions of dollars, including an endowment of $1 million for the UNEP Sasakawa prize. It also gave grants for disaster relief and to people suffering from famine and diseases. The idea was to award efforts like Mr. Kiernan's so that people became more aware of the environment. "Clean Up Japan" had grown from the 800 original participants to tens of thousands of people.

Sasakawa Prize Press Conference - 2 - 16 November 1998

Mr. Kiernan said the major contributing factors to the world environmental crisis were greed, ignorance and fear: personal fear of poverty and national fear of deepening financial crises. Ignorance could be countered by education. Greed could be harnessed by making the corporate world realize there was good money in repairing the environment. Fear was more difficult to overcome. However, through better communication, people could be educated about long-term goals and sustainable development.

The environment was the primary issue, he continued. There was no point in achieving high economic growth and high gross national product if people could not breathe the air or drink the water. The Clean Up Campaign aimed to keep the environment on the media, community and corporate agendas. The prize money would be used by his organization to broaden and improve its activities.

In response to a question about how he came up with the idea, Mr. Kiernan said when participating in the single-handed around-the-world yacht race, he realized that humanity regarded the oceans as a free garbage dump. He decided to do something about it. He organized a group of friends who volunteered to organize the first clean-up of Sydney Harbour. Over 40,000 people collected 5,000 tonnes of waste from the harbour and its foreshore. The campaign was a "run-away success" and gave people the vehicle and opportunity to do something hands on about the environmental problem. It also made them realize that the harbour did not belong to the Government, but was an asset that belonged to everyone and that ordinary people could make a difference.

After the event, he said, "the phone rang off the hook" with questions from around Australia and from overseas on how to organized similar actions. As a result, an organization was built around an event. The Clean Up the World Campaign was an apolitical not-for-profit corporation with only one agenda: to clean up and fix up. That wholesome package allowed the organization to criticize governments, when necessary, and to get doors opened that might be closed to more powerful and wealthy people. The award and the money would help strengthen that clout.

Another correspondent asked how countries, particularly the United States, had taken up the effort. Mr. Kiernan said his organization had worked very hard in the United States to gain support. The Discovery Channel had become a media partner, and that association would deliver real benefits. The award would help broaden the growing level of support in the United States. The Clean Up Campaign's approach was: "let's go where they want to hear us". Often, that was in the developing world and was related to health and mortality issues, which were connected to the environment. He was convinced social, health and financial issues all flowed from the environment.

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