For the 23rd time, the world’s most important environmental award was presented to projects that advance humanity on its path toward a more sustainable way of life. The jury grants the award in five categories: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Youth. Commenting on the more than 30,000 sustainable projects submitted, Nobel laureate Prof. Mohan Munasinghe said: “There is no shortage of solutions to our current crises, as the many projects submitted to the Energy Globe have impressively demonstrated. What is crucial is to inform people and businesses around the world about these solutions and to motivate them to take part in putting them into practice.”

Before the award ceremony, several distinguished speakers addressed the audience, among them Nobel laureate Prof. Munasinghe and Prof. Radermacher. Radermacher once again emphasized the urgent need for action instead of mere words. The combined efforts of European nations, he argued, would have little impact, since every year the world’s population grows by roughly the size of Germany. What truly matters, he said, is cooperation between the Global North and South.

Prof. Radermacher also delivered the introductory speech for the “Fire” category. The winning project came from Rwanda, where green electricity is being made both accessible and affordable for everyone. The nominated projects from Portugal and Switzerland showcased renewable power from ocean wave energy and a 90% reduction in energy consumption for data storage in data centers, respectively.

More information about the award ceremony and the livestream of Prof. Radermacher’s speech can be found here.

Image source: energyglobe.info