Preface & Background
The Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 to raise awareness about the global environment and move toward sustainability to ensure that all living things could exist in harmony.
In the same year, Asahi Glass Foundation founded the Blue Planet Prize; and the first laureates were announced at the Earth Summit.
Since then, the Asahi Glass Foundation has awarded Blue Planet Prizes for the past 25 years to individuals, groups, and organizations who have worked toward solving global environmental issues. We have continued this activity in the hope of raising public awareness about global environmental issues by making the achievements of the Blue Planet laureates known to the world.
In 2017, 25 years after the Earth Summit, the Blue Planet Prize also celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Looking back over the past quarter of a century, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air has exceeded 400 ppm, flood and drought have become more frequent, typhoons have become stronger, and coastal areas and islands have become submerged due to the rises in the sea level. These global environmental issues that were at one time simply research themes have changed into actual issues that have a direct impact on our lives.
Against this backdrop, COP21, which took place in Paris in December 2015, adopted agreements on two matters: (1) Keeping the increase in average global temperature this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and exerting effort to limit temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius; and (2) Reducing global greenhouse gas emissions to zero between 2050 and 2100.
Two years have passed since COP21, and some countries have withdrawn from the agreement; however, it was also clarified that public awareness of global environmental issues is higher than ever around the world.
Better Future for the Planet Earth Vol. V is a collection of the lectures given by Blue Planet Prize laureates from 2012 to 2017 (the 21st – 25th Blue Planet Prize winners). We publish this book in the hope that their messages will prompt renewed commitment to solving global environmental issues.
I always try to keep in mind that we are not landlords but residents on the Earth. As past generations have preserved the Earth for us, we have the obligation to keep it safe and beautiful for the next generation.
It is a great joy for us to know that the Blue Planet Prize contributes to goal of ensuring that the next generation has a healthy planet.
December 2017
Kazuhiko Ishimura, President, Asahi Glass Foundation
The Earth is a a precious ecosystem, sustaining, every living thing.
At the Asahi Glass Foundation, we hope that people
around the world will work toward protecting our planet from destruction,
ensuring our treasured
inheritance continues to exist for future generations.
The Blue Planet Prize Trophy and Certificate
The Blue Planet Prize symbol, top left, represents our responsibility toward our fragile home. It is a symbol of hope for our children, of coexistence with and intimate connection to our environment. This design depicts the delicate balance and dynamic interrelationship of our world: the pristine blue sky and sea, people, nature and the universe.
Inaugural Blue Planet Prize Winners Announced at UNCED (1922)
Announcement of Winners
The winners of the inaugural Blue Planet Prize were announced during UNCED, which took place in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to June 14, 1992. On June 4, the Foundation held a media reception at the Meridien Hotel in Rio de Janeiro. On June 8, the winners were announced in the Briefing Room of the Rio Centro Convention Center, the same room in which the United Nations held its UNCED press conference. The Foundation also sponsored a display booth spotlighting its activities at Global Forum '92, an event organized by a number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and held during UNCED in Rio's Flamengo Park.
Professor Jiro Kondo, President of the Science Council of Japan and a director of the Asahi Glass Foundation, makes a speech at the media reception.
Attending the awards announcement were, from left, Richard Sandbrook, executive director of the IIED; Maurice Strong, secretary-general of UNCED*; Dr. Saburo Okita, former minister of Foreign Affaires and a director of the Asahi Glass Foundation; Hideaki Yamashita, chairman of the Asahi Glass Foundation; Ambassador Masaki Seo; and Osamu Shiragami, senior executive director of the Asahi Glass Foundation.
Press conference at the Earth Summit in Rio de janeiro.
Media reception prior to the press conference on the announcement of the awards.
*UNCED = United Nations Conference on Environment and Development All personal titles refer to positions held at the time.
Blue Planet Prize Laureates since 1992
Year | Laureat | Country |
---|---|---|
1992 | Dr. Syukuro Manabe | USA |
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) | Founded in UK | |
1993 | Dr. Charles D. Keeling | USA |
IUCN-The World Conservation Union | Headquartered in Switzerland | |
1994 | Prof. Dr. Eugen Seibold | Germany |
Mr. Lester R. Brown | USA | |
1995 | Dr. Bert Bolin | Sweden |
Mr. Maurice F. Strong | Canada | |
1996 | Dr. Wallace S. Broecker | USA |
M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation | Founded in India | |
1997 | Dr. James E. Lovelock | UK |
Conservation International (CI) | Headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA | |
1998 | Prof. Mikhail I. Budyko | Russia |
Mr. David R. Brower | USA | |
1999 | Dr. Paul R. Ehrlich | USA |
Prof. Qu Geping | China | |
2000 | Dr. Theo Colborn | USA |
Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt | Sweden | |
2001 | Lord (Robert) May of Oxford | Australia |
Dr. Norman Myers | UK | |
2002 | Professor Harold A. Mooney | USA |
Prof. J. Gustave Speth | USA | |
2003 | Dr. Gene E. Likens & Dr. F. Herbert Bormann | USA |
Dr. Vo Quy | Vietnam | |
2004 | Dr. Susan Solomon | USA |
Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland | Norway | |
2005 | Prof. Sir Nicholas Shackleton | UK |
Dr. Gordon Hisashi Sato | USA | |
2006 | Dr. Akira Miyawaki | Japan |
Dr. Emil Salim | Indonesia | |
2007 | Professor Joseph L. Sax | USA |
Dr. Amory B. Lovins | USA | |
2008 | Dr. Claude Lorius | France |
Professor José Goldemberg | Brazil | |
2009 | Professor Hirofumi Uzawa | Japan |
Lord (Nicholas) Stern of Brentford | UK | |
2010 | Dr. James Hansen | USA |
Dr. Robert Watson | UK | |
2011 | Dr. Jane Lubchenco | USA |
Barefoot College | Founded in India | |
2012 | Professor William E. Rees & Dr. Mathis Wackernagel | Canada & Switzerland |
Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy | USA | |
2013 | Dr. Taroh Matsuno | Japan |
Professor Daniel Sperling | USA | |
2014 | Prof. Herman Daly | USA |
Prof. Daniel H. Janzen & Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio) | USA & Founded in Costa Rica | |
2015 | Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta FBA FRS | UK |
Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs | USA | |
2016 | Mr. Pavan Sukhdev | India |
Prof. Markus Borner | Switzerland |
Some Background on the Blue Planet Prize
Humankind has only one home, the Earth, and we all bear responsibility to leave it in a habitable condition for future generations. In recognition of those whose efforts help provide solutions for global environmental problems, the Foundation established the Blue Planet Prize, an annual international award presented to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions toward that aim. The year the prize was first awarded, 1992, was the year that the world turned its attention to environmental issues at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In keeping with the spirit of that conference, the Foundation hopes to help raise awareness of and interest in environmental issues throughout the world while expressing its appreciation for the achievements of the winners.
Each year, the Foundation chooses two individuals or organizations whose pioneering achievements represent major contributions to sustainable development and to solving such environmental problems as climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, ecosystem destruction in tropical rainforests, species extinction and desertification. The Foundation is also keen to recognize work in areas related to energy, food, population, waste treatment, recycling, as well as environmental management, ethics, philosophy and education. The work of the award winners must in some way contribute to the harmonious coexistence of people, society and the environment.
They should contribute to humankind's pool of scientific knowledge as well as to the realization of a global community that uses science and technology for the good of all. Candidate nominations are received from more than 120 countries worldwide. Living citizens of all nations, irrespective of gender, race or religion, are eligible. A short list of nominees is compiled by the Selection Committee. Final decisions are made by the Presentation Committee and nominees are approved by the Foundation's Board of Directors and Councilors.
The winners are presented with a certificate of merit, a commemorative trophy and a supplementary prize of 50 million yen at an awards ceremony. The ceremony takes place in Tokyo and is attended each year by members of the Japanese royal family, government officials, foreign diplomats, academics and researchers, as well as representatives from many fields of endeavor. On the day following the awards ceremony, the laureates present lectures on their work to an audience at the United Nations University in Tokyo. This lecture event is well attended by the general public, journalists, environmental specialists and academics from related fields.
The Blue Planet Prize was so named in the hope that our blue planet will be a shared possession capable of sustaining all life time far into the future. The Earth is a precious ecosystem, home to every living thing. At the Asahi Glass Foundation, we sincerely hope that people around the globe will work toward protecting our planet from environmental deterioration, ensuring that the natural environment continues to exist for future generations. We believe wholeheartedly that through the ingenuity and earnest efforts of humanity the serious environmental problems we now face will someday be solved.
Information on the laureates and their achievements is also available online on the Foundation's web site: http:///www.af-info.or.jp.
Blue Planet Prize Selection Process
-
2016
Mr. Pavan Sukhdev (India)
-
2016
Prof. Markus Borner (Switzerland)
-
2015
Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta FBA FRS (UK)
-
2015
Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs (USA)
-
2014
Prof. Herman Daly (USA)
-
2014
Prof. Daniel H. Janzen (USA)
Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio) (Founded in Costa Rica)
-
2013
Dr. Taroh Matsuno (Japan)
-
2013
Professor Daniel Sperling (USA)
-
2012
Professor William E. Rees (Canada)
Dr. Mathis Wackernagel (Switzerland) (right)
-
2012
Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy (USA)
-
2011
Dr. Jane Lubchenco (USA)
-
2011
Barefoot College (Founded in India)
-
2010
Dr. James Hansen (USA)
-
2010
Dr. Robert Watson (UK)
-
2009
Professor Hirofumi Uzawa (Japan)
-
2009
Lord (Nicholas) Stern of Brentford (UK)
-
2008
Dr. Claude Lorius (France)
-
2008
Professor José Goldemberg (Brazil)
-
2007
Professor Joseph L. Sax (USA)
-
2007
Dr. Amory B. Lovins (USA)
-
2006
Dr. Akira Miyawaki (Japan)
-
2006
Dr. Emil Salim (Indonesia)
-
2005
Prof. Sir Nicholas Shackleton (UK)
-
2005
Dr. Gordon Hisashi Sato (USA)
-
2004
Dr. Susan Solomon (USA)
-
2004
Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland (Norway)
-
2003
Dr. Gene E. Likens (USA) Dr. F. Herbert Bormann (USA) (right)
-
2003
Dr. Vo Quy (Vietnam)
-
2002
Professor Harold A. Mooney (USA)
-
2002
Prof. J. Gustave Speth (USA)
-
2001
Lord (Robert) May of Oxford (Australia)
-
2001
Dr. Norman Myers (UK)
-
2000
Dr. Theo Colborn (USA)
-
2000
Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt (Sweden)
-
1999
Dr. Paul R. Ehrlich (USA)
-
1999
Prof. Qu Geping (China)
-
1998
Prof. Mikhail I. Budyko (Russia)
-
1998
Mr. David R. Brower (USA)
-
1997
Dr. James E. Lovelock (UK)
-
1997
Conservation International (CI) (Headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA)
-
1996
Dr. Wallace S. Broecker (USA)
-
1996
M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (Founded in India)
-
1995
Dr. Bert Bolin (Sweden)
-
1995
Mr. Maurice F. Strong (Canada)
-
1994
Prof. Dr. Eugen Seibold (Germany)
-
1994
Mr. Lester R. Brown (USA)
-
1993
Dr. Charles D. Keeling (USA)
-
1993
IUCN-The World Conservation Union (Headquartered in Switzerland)
-
1992
Dr. Syukuro Manabe (USA)
-
1992
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) (Founded in UK)
Anniversary Events
25th Anniversary Events of the Blue Planet Prize
+25 years Commemorative Conference of the Establishment of the Blue Planet Prize (September 8, 2017)
"From isolation to connection" - What we can do for a sustainable future (November 16, 2017)
20th Anniversary Events of the Blue Planet Prize
+25 years Commemorative Conference of the Establishment of the Blue Planet Prize
The Earth's Environment is at a Crossroads: The Time for Action is Now and Solutions Exist
The Asahi Glass Foundation hopes the commemorative event to contribute following accounts: Raise awareness of the society including young generations for pressing environmental issues, reviewing the past 25 years of the Prize history and considering the coming 25 years regarding global environmental issues.
Date: September 8, 2017
Venue: Ito International Research Center, The University of Tokyo
Organizer: The Asahi Glass Foundation
Supervisor: Dr. Hiroyuki Yoshikawa
(Special Counselor to the President, Japan Science and Technology Agency;
Former President, The University of Tokyo)
- Joint Press Conference (September 7, 2017)
- Announcing the Press Statement "The Earth's Environment is at a Crossroads. Solutions Exist. The Time for Action is Now."
- Press Statement
- Press Conference
- Program
- Part I:Round-table Conference Participated by the Laureates and Young Folks
- Conversation with students
- Part II:Commemorative Lecture Session
- Commemorative Lecture
- Visual materials of the lecture
- Dr. Robert Watson
- Dr. Jane Lubchenco
- Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy
- Panel Discussion
- <Moderator>
- Mr. Tetsuji Ida: (Senior Staff Writer & Editorial Writer Environment, Energy and Development Kyodo News, Science News Desk))
- <Lecturers>
- Dr. Robert Watson: (2010 (19th) Blue Planet Prize Laureate, Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC))
- Dr. Jane Lubchenco: (2011 (20th) Blue Planet Prize Laureate, Professor of Oregon State University, Former Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA))
- Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy : (2012 (21st) Blue Planet Prize Laureate, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University)
- <Panelists>
- Mr. Hiroshi Ono: (Deputy Director General, Global Environment Affairs, Ministry of the Environment)
- Ms. Junko Edahiro: (Professor, Tokyo City University, President of Institute for Studies in Happiness, Economy, and Society)
- Mr. Shigeki Kobayashi: (Senior Researcher, Chubu Transportation Research Institute)
- Mr. Takejiro Sueyoshi: (Special Advisor to The UNEP Finance Initiative)
- Mr. Yasushi Hibi: (Representative Director of Conservation International Japan)
"From isolation to connection"
- What we can do for a sustainable future
Hardly a day goes by without us getting exposed to negative news about nature worlds such as extreme weather events, extinction of various species, water pollution, and air pollution.
While at the same time, not a few people find it very difficult to connect their daily lives with environmental problems.
However, it is imperative for us to have a shared perception that each one of us living on the earth is responsible for these problems.
We say so because a human is necessarily a creature who cannot live alone, and the natural world has provided everything that humans need to survive and thrive.
Also, we have never been aware of or appreciated for nature's gifts because we take it for granted that nature is always there to support us.
We held this symposium to understand human connections to the natural environment as well as to environmental problems, which could give us a clue on how we can contribute to the improvement of the problems.
Date: November 16, 2017
Venue: Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall 5F at the United Nations University
Organizer: The Asahi Glass Foundation、Conservation International Japan
- Program
- Lectures
- Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy: Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University
- [Genuine biodiversity designates that all the lifeforms can connect and support each other]
- Mr. Pavan Sukhdev: UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Founding Trustee of Green Indian States Trust (GIST)
- [Planetary Connectedness and Systems Thinking for an Economy of Permanence]
- Ms. Jennifer Morris: President Conservation International
- [The relation between biodiversity and economy: connectivity with the Japanese society]
- Panel Discussion
- Ms. Junko Edahiro (Facilitator): Professor of the Faculty of Environmental Studies Tokyo City University, the representative of Japan for Sustainability
- D.M. Michiko Imai: Climber and Doctor, Visiting Professor Tokyo University of Agriculture
- Ms. Atsuko Suzuki: The Representative director, Environmental Business Agency
- Ms. Akane Takada: Aleph Inc. Eco team
- Ms. Misako Nakajima: Student from International Christian University
20th Anniversary Events of the Blue Planet Prize
- 20th Anniversary Events of the Blue Planet Prize
- Videos
- London conference at IIED (The creation of the UNEP paper)
- London conference Day1 (2012/Feb/8)
- London conference Day2 (2012/Feb/9)
- London conference Day3 (2012/Feb/10)
The very first Press announcement of Environment and Development Challenges paper - Press conferences at Rio+20 (2012/Jun/17)
- Press conferences at Rio+20
2012 Laureates Press conference
UNEP Paper (Environment and Development Challenges) announcement
Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind
The review of the development of the Environmental Doomsday Clock for a quarter century
Introductory remarks
Since 1992, we have been surveying the sense of impending crisis over the degradation of the natural environment by addressing global environmental experts. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support for the activities of the Asahi Glass Foundation. This chapter is designed to further respondents' understanding of the Questionnaire on the Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind survey by briefly describing its history and the changes in the research methods. It also aims to explain how the survey results may be interpreted and appreciated" We determine that we will further enhance the quality of the content in the years to come, and we are grateful if you wish to continue to respond the questionnaire as you did before.
Fig. 1 Changes in the Environmental Doomsday Clock (world average)
1. Purpose of establishing the Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind
We introduced the questionnaire on the occasion of creating the Blue Planet Prize in 1992. The purpose for introducing the questionnaire was to arouse further interest in global environmental issues among the public through a survey targeting world environmental experts. For more than a quarter of a century, although modestly, we have made a specific contribution to the enhancement of the world's environmental awareness. The total number of respondents to the questionnaire was about 1 thousand for the very first survey in 1992, but it quickly fell into the hundreds. Since 2010, we have earnestly increased exposures to the environmental experts, the number of responses has increased, and currently, we secure more than 2,000 respondents per year.
Fig. 2 Changes in the Number of Respondents (world)
2. History of the evolution of the questionnaire
*The outline of the questionnaire
The questionnaire consists both of "ongoing questions," such as questions asking respondents to tell the "crisis time" of the Environmental Doomsday Clock and also of "nonrecurring questions" such as the particular environmental problems that have attracted attention in the fiscal year in which the survey is distributed. Today, we added some "ongoing questions" beside those focused on the "crisis time." These new questions constitute a type of fixed-point observation intending to report changes in the status quo of particular environmental situations.
A. The "crisis time" of the Environmental Doomsday Clock
In the first year of the survey (1992), we introduced a clock dial consisting of four quadrants representing a particular attitude toward environmental crisis and asked respondents to express their respective attitudes by indicating the appropriate time at a particular quadrant: the first quadrant (0: 01 to 3: 00 -> Barely Concerned), the second quadrant (3: 01 to 6: 00 -> Slightly Concerned), the third quadrant (6: 01 to 9: 00 -> Fairly Concerned), and the fourth quadrant (9: 01-12: 00 -> extremely Concerned) (see the diagram below).
Fig. 3 Diagram of the Doomsday Clock and its quadrons
The respondents selected and answered a specific time from the range of 00: 01 to 12: 00. We have averaged the individual "crisis times" that we received from the worldwide respondents and reported it as the "crisis time."
Since 2003, to infer the background of the respondents' logic of the determination of "crisis time," we have asked respondents to choose the three issues from the list of "concerned issues" about which they were most concerned (see the next paragraph for details) that we provide at the questionnaire. Then we asked respondents to rank the three items that most concerned them. Ultimately, we calculated each "crisis time" as a weighted average according to respondent's ranking.
B. An introduction to the Environmental Issues ("concerned issues") in Determining the Environmental Doomsday Clock Time
We introduced the so-called "concerned issues" in order to achieve a more qualitative association between the "concerned issues" and the "crisis time" humanity finds itself facing.
Since 2003, we have offered a list of "concerned issues" to support respondents' estimation of "crisis time." To create the list of "concerned issues," we selected environmental items such as climate change (8 items related to Agenda 21) and asked respondents to select the three items that most influenced their decision about "crisis time."
This reformation helped us to improve the interpretation of yearly fluctuations of "crisis time." (However, this measure still lacks information about how respondents rank the three selected items by importance.)
In 2011, the list of "concerned issues" was updated to 11 items with reference to the elements of Planetary Boundaries (Rockström et al. 2009 Ecology and Society 14 (2): 32). At the same time, to shed light on the decision-making processes of the respondents, we asked respondents to rank the top three items that they selected by the level of influence each had upon the "crisis time" that they estimated. Then, we weighted the "crisis times" of the top three items (1st: 50%, 2nd: 30%, 3rd place 20%) and calculated the weighted average of individual "crisis times" as the "crisis time" (see the diagram below).
This change of the determination process of "crisis time" offers us a much clearer understanding of respondents' motives as they determine what "crisis time" means to them and leads to a more quantitative overall definition of "crisis time." Furthermore, we calculated the "crisis time" for each "concerned issue." At the same time, we introduced a bubble graph as a powerful visual aid through which it became possible to precisely represent the trend of the world as a whole and also the more individual regional or country-level trends; it also helps to convey how the respondents see the current environmental situation facing the world (please refer to the bubble graphs below).
Fig. 4 The standard question asking about the "crisis time"
Fig. 5 Bubl Graph: "Crisis Times" correlated with "Concerned Issues" (world)
Fig. 6 Transition of "Crisis Times" /"Concerned Issues" 2012 – 2017 (world)
Table 1 Regional distribution of "crisis times" correlated with "concerned issues
As for the new set of "concerned issues," currently (2018) we offer climate change, biosphere integrity (biodiversity), change in terrestrial utilization (land use), biochemical flow (environmental pollution), water resource, population, food, lifestyle, and society/economy/and the environment. We chose those items related to the latest Planetary Boundaries thesis (Steffen et al. Science 13 Feb 2015 vol. 347, issue 6223). Furthermore, each "concerned issue" listed in the questionnaire is related to the relevant development goals of the SDGs.
Table 2 Environmental issues to be taken into account ("Concerned Issues)
C. "Ongoing and nonrecurring questions" of the Questionnaire
*Ongoing question item
Between 1993 and 2010, we added a special "ongoing question" pertaining to a set of environmentally important items, selected by us, from the goals of Agenda 21 and asked respondents about the yearly progress of each item. Since 2011, we have observed and reported transitions of environmental "crisis time" across generations.
Fig. 7 Shifts in the "crisis times" by Generation
*Nonrecurring question items
We formerly selected every year a number of nonrecurring question items that were appropriate to ecological concerns that had gathered particular attention in that year. We abolished this type of nonrecurring question in 2018. However, we will resurrect this if necessary and desired.
3. What comes next
Global environmental problems such as CO2 emissions require a prompt response from society as a whole. For this reason, arousing more people's attention to environmental issues has become a more important goal than ever. Increasing people's awareness about the earth's environment is paramount in the light of the objectives of this questionnaire, and we renew our determination to further increase the number of respondents by improving the quality of the survey contents.
Past Articles
Questionnaire A21-Year Summary
Questionnaire Five-Year Summary
About the Foundation & Afterword
Mission
The Asahi Glass Foundation strives to contribute to the creation of a society that can transmit the genuine wealth of human civilization by supporting advanced research in the fields of science and technology and by recognizing efforts to solve environmental issues that call for global solutions.
Programs
1. Research Grant Program
Grants are awarded to researchers at universities in Japan and in Thailand and Indonesia. To date, the Foundation has awarded ¥9.8 billion in research grants for approximately 7,900 projects.
2. Commendation Program
Awarding of the Blue Planet Prize, an international environmental award, and the annual survey on the global environment, have been conducted since 1992. Based on the results of the survey, the Environmental Doomsday Clock is reset every year.
History
The Asahi Glass Foundation was established in 1933 as the Asahi Foundation for Chemical Industry Promotion, to commemorate the 25th anniversary (in 1932) of the founding of Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. Over most of its first half-century, the Foundation focused primarily on fostering research in the field of applied chemistry.
In 1990, the foundation undertook an overall redesign of its programs, expanding the scope of its activities and establishing its commendation program. At the same time it was renamed the Asahi Glass Foundation. Since then, the activities of the foundation have focused on its grant-awarding and commendation programs.


Milestones
1933 | The Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. donated \500 thousand and established the Asahi Foundation for Chemical Industry Promotion. |
---|---|
1934 | The Asahi Foundation for Chemical Industry Promotion recognized as a nonprofit organization and its basic endowment increased to \1 million. The Foundation began providing research grants to university researchers in the field of applied chemistry. |
1945 | Last grants were awarded for the year prior to all activities being suspended at the end of World War II. |
1955 | Research grant program restarted. |
1961 | The Foundation changes its name to the Asahi Glass Foundation for Industrial Technology. |
1982 | The Foundation started a research grant program for Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. |
1988 | The Foundation started a research grant program for Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia. |
1990 | To support the expansion of its activities, the Foundation made a full revision of its article of association and changes its name to the Asahi Glass Foundation. |
1992 | Awarding the Blue Planet Prize awards commenced. Annual survey Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind started. |
1997 | The Foundation issued A Better Future for the Planet Earth, a publication commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Blue Planet Prize. |
2002 | Published Toward the Future of the Blue Planet -10-Year History of the Blue Planet Prize. 10th Anniversary commemorative lectures Toward the Future of the Blue Planet held. |
2006 | Special Round Table Conference on Global Environment Problems started. |
2009 | Published Our Vision: Conditions for Survival (in Japanese and English, successively in Chinese through 2011). The Foundation transitioned into a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation. |
2010 | The Kondo Grant, an environmental research grant program commenced. Published Conditions for Survival - Toward a Solar Energy-Based Society Full of Vibrant Life (in Japanese and English) and its popular edition containing the abstract summary in Japanese. |
2011 | Publication of Conditions for Survival in other languages (Chinese and Korean in 2011, and Arabic in 2012) started. Symposium Conditions for Survival held. |
2012 | The Foundation started research grant program for King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand. The Blue Planet Prize laureates jointly presented a paper titled Environment and Development Challenges: The Imperative to Act. |
2013 2014 |
Published Environment and Development Challenges: The Imperative to Act. |
2017 | +25 years commemorative conference of the establishment of The Blue Planet Prize held. |
Financial Information
Statements of Changes in Financial Position (Million Yen)
FY2012 | FY2013 | FY2014 | FY2015 | FY2016 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic endowment | 23,002 | 21,449 | 25,722 | 21,196 | 29,299 |
Special & other assets | 2,752 | 2,840 | 3,173 | 2,902 | 3,608 |
Total (Net Worth) | 25,754 | 24,290 | 28,894 | 24,097 | 32,906 |
INTRODUCING THE ASAHI GLASS FOUNDATION (2012)
A Quest for Securing the Blue Planet
Directors and Councillors
February, 2018
Directors
Chairman | |
---|---|
Kazuhiko Ishimura | Chairman & Representative Director, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. |
Senior Executive Director | |
Kunihiko Adachi | Former Deputy General Manager, Technology Office of Glass Company, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. |
Trustees | |
Yoshiki Chujo | Professor, Kyoto University |
Yoshihiro Hayashi | President/ Director General, National Museum of Nature and Science; Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo |
Kimihiko Hirao | Director, RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science; Former Executive Vice President, The University of Tokyo |
Hiroshi Ishiwara | Professor Emeritus, Tokyo Institute of Technology |
Tisato Kajiyama | Chairman, Board of Trustees, and President Fukuoka Women's University; Professor Emeritus, Former President, Kyushu University |
Shinichi Kawakami | Exective Offiser, General Manager, General Affairs Division Asahi Glass Co.,Ltd. |
Yukiharu Kodama | President, The Mechanical Social Systems Foundation; Former Administrative Vice-minister of International Trade and Industry |
Takamitsu Kumasaka | Chairman & CEO, THE SANKEI SHIMBUN |
Keisuke Kutira | Former President, Seikei University |
Masayoshi Mishina | Professor, Ritsumeikan University; Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo |
Hideo Miyahara | Professor Emeritus, former President, Osaka University; |
Akio Morishima | Director General, Japan Environment Association; Professor Emeritus, Nagoya University |
Ryoji Noyori | Director-General, Center for Research and Development Strategy, Japan Science and Technology Agency |
Kenjiro Omura | Professor Emeritus, University of Tsukuba |
Takuya Shimamura | Member of the Board, President & CEO, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. |
Sawako Shirahase | Professor, The University of Tokyo |
Katsuhiko Shirai | Honorary Advisor, Waseda University |
Hiroshi Yoshikawa | Professor, Rissho University; Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo Principal Fellow, Japan Science and Technology Agency; |
Hiroyuki Yoshikawa | Member of Japan Academy; Former President, Science Council of Japan; Former President, The University of Tokyo |
Auditors | |
Katsunori Nagayasu | Senior Advisor, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.. |
Takashi Terashima | Former Corporate Auditor, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. |
Tatsuo Wakabayashi | Chairman, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation |
Afterword
The Blue Planet Prize was established in 1992, the year of the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, and celebrated its 25th year in 2017.
Over these past 25 years, awareness around the world about global environmental issues has increased, and the ranking of countries influencing the global environment has also changed with China becoming the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide.
While seeking international agreement to preserve the global environment, it has deteriorated. It’s true that we could not move quickly because of the time it takes to coordinate among countries, but this does not mean that we are completely lost, as Professor Robert Watson told us at the 25th anniversary symposium held on September 8, 2017.
Many countries recognized the critical phase of the global environment, which prompted them to sign the Paris Agreement in 2015. Although within two years, the United States stated its intention to withdraw from the agreement, all of the other signatories, including China, the largest carbon dioxide emitter, have remained.
Even in the United States, some states and cities made the announcement that they would follow the agreement. This shows that awareness about the global environmental issues has been shared beyond the boundaries of international politics.
Over the past 25 years, people around the world have cooperated in solving global environmental issues as individuals.
The Asahi Glass Foundation is also working harder in the hope that the Blue Planet Prize will contribute to such activities to save the global environment.
Kunihiko Adachi
Senior Executive Director,
Asahi Glass Foundation
By Vol. Number
- CONTENTS
- Preface & Background
- 1992 Winners
- 1993 Winners
- 1994 Winners
- 1995 Winners
- 1996 Winners
- Questionnaire Five-Year Summary
- About the Foundation
- Afterword
- CONTENTS
- Preface & Background
- 1997 Winners
- 1998 Winners
- 1999 Winners
- 2000 Winners
- 2001 Winners
- Questionnaire 10-Year Summary
- About the Foundation
- Afterword
- Preface & Background
- 2012 Laureates
- Professor William E. Rees
- Dr. Mathis Wackernagel
- Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy
- 2013 Laureates
- Dr. Taroh Matsuno
- Professor Daniel Sperling
- 2014 Laureates
- Prof. Herman Daly
- Prof. Daniel H. Janzen
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio)
- 2015 Laureates
- Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta FBA FRS
- Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs
- 2016 Laureates
- Mr. Pavan Sukhdev
- Prof. Markus Borner
- Anniversary Events
- Questionnaire on Environmental Problems
and the Survival of Humankind - About the Foundation & Afterword