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The Ashden Awards recognise innovations that contribute to the protection of the environment by curbing deforestation and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn MP, who presented this year’s prizes commented, “Tackling world poverty and climate change together are the great moral and practical challenges of our age.” The Ashden Awards recognise and reward innovative solutions to both of these problems. As communities in the developing world face an increasingly difficult struggle against deforestation, soil erosion and pollution, the case for renewable energy – especially in areas that have no electricity supplies – becomes ever stronger. The prestigious Ashden Awards recognise that, for such communities, renewable energy is often their best hope of breaking out of poverty, of giving their children an education and of improving their health and well being. The social and economic benefits of such technology are inestimable and as Martin Wright, Communications Director of the awards points out, “you can also equate the arrival of high technology with a halt in the drift of rural populations to the cities as renewable energy is generated to power computers, mobile phones and television even in the most isolated regions.” The UK Awards recognise and reward schemes which reduce greenhouse gas production assume responsibility for the contribution industrialised countries make to climate change finding solutions that are less harmful to the environment. Here we look at some of this year’s nominees and award winners. Contact: Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy,
Allington House (1st Floor), 150 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5AE UK
Tel: 020 7410 0330 (Source: Positive News: http://www.positivenews.org.uk/index.php) (In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.) |
The Ashden Awards
for Sustainable Energy reward inspirational and innovative renewable
energy projects which provide both social and economic benefits to local
communities both at home in the UK and abroad. Virginia Kennedy looks at
some of this year’s nominees and award winners.