Awards

Ozone awards

In the framework of the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which was celebrated in Montreal in September 2007, several awards were made.

Montreal Protocol Partners Award

WMO received the Montreal Protocol Partners Award, which recognizes the work of civil society and other international organizations in the development and/or implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

Montreal Protocol Innovators Award

Research scientists with Environment Canada Jim Kerr, Tom McElroy and David Wardle received the United Nations Environment Programme’s Montreal Protocol Innovators Award during the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Montreal Protocol. They developed and led the application of the Brewer spectrophotometer instrument for measurements of ultra-violet radiation (UV), ozone and other gases that form the backbone of the surfaced-based total ozone network of the Global Atmosphere Watch of WMO, an essential network in global change research. Environment Canada also hosts the WMO World Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Data Centre, which is actively used by a large community of ozone scientists.

Their groundbreaking research on the connection between ozone depletion and UVat the ground as well as their role in implementing forecast systems aimed at reducing public risk toover-exposure to sunlight are widely recognized. Their efforts have strongly supported the Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion produced every four years and published by WMO and UNEP in support of the Vienna Convention on Protection of the Ozone Layer.

Anniversary

The Montreal Protocol and its 20th anniversary

Press Release No. 795

Stockholm Water Prize

Perry L. McCarty received the 2007 Stockholm Water Prize on 16 August from HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at Stockholm City Hall during World Water Week (12-18 August). Prof. McCarty of Stanford University, California, USA, won the Prize for his pioneering work in developing understanding of biological and chemical processes for the safe supply and treatment of water.

Youngsters write about climate and environmental change

Every year since 1971, the Universal Postal Union has held a letter-writing competition for young people. This year, youngsters were invited to put themselves in the position of a wild animal whose habitat is threatened by environmental or climate change and to address the inhabitants of the planet to explain what mankind could do to help them survive. Through their letters, the competition entrants were able to express their concerns about issues such as climate change, river pollution, deforestation, to name but a few.

The winning letter was written by Sze Ee Lee, a 14-year old Malaysian girl, who assumed the role of a tiger cub living in the rainforest. The runners-up come from Greece, Bolivia and Estonia.

Winning letters

UPU press release