AsianScientist (Aug. 28, 2017) – Mr. Xie Zhenhua, China’s chief negotiator at the Paris Agreement, has received the 2017 LUI Che Woo Prize in the sustainable development category for his efforts in resisting climate change.
The LUI Che Woo Prize is an international, cross-sector award recognizing the efforts of individuals or organizations that make significant contributions to sustainability and human welfare. The prize is judged in a three-tier structure consisting of selection panels, a prize recommendation committee and a prize council to ensure that nominees are carefully evaluated for their merits and contributions.
Xie was awarded the Sustainability Prize for his crucial role in championing international negotiations relating to climate change, culminating in the successful signing of the Paris Agreement in December 2015. During discussions on the Paris agreement, Xie convinced the governments of China and the US, the two largest economies in the world, to work together to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.
Within China, Xie has also been actively involved in promoting sustainable economic development. Since 1993, he has successively led environmental protection, energy conservation and pollution reduction efforts of the State Environmental Administration and the National Development and Reform Commission.
“I’m very honored to be awarded the LUI Che Woo Prize. It is a great recognition to me, my team and, most importantly, our country for its policies, measures and actions that have enabled progress in this field. It definitely motivates us to achieve better results in the future.”
In addition to Xie, two other organizations received the 2017 LUI Che Woo Prize. Landesa, a nonprofit organization that collaborates with local organizations and government agencies to secure legal land rights for the poor, won the Welfare Betterment Prize, while the International Paralympic Committee won the Positive Energy Prize.
“On behalf of the Board of Governors and the entire judging panel of the Prize, we would like to offer our heartiest congratulations to the laureates, who are the best in their respective fields,” said Dr. Lui Che Woo, Founder & Chairman of the Board of Governors and Chair of the Prize Council of the LUI Che Woo Prize.
“We would like to thank them for their contributions to the world, and sincerely hope that they will continue their work and serve as influential role models for world civilization, benefitting more people in the future.”
The specific areas of focus for the 2018 LUI Che Woo Prize were also announced at the awards ceremony; they are: Development of Renewable Energy (Sustainability Prize), Reduction of the Impacts of Natural Disasters (Welfare Betterment Prize) and Elimination of Illiteracy (Positive Energy Prize).
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Source: LUI Che Woo Prize Limited.
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