Von Hernandez, 2003 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, Asia (Philippines).
A Greenpeace campaigner has won one of the worlds most
prestigious international awards for grassroots environmentalism.
Dubbed the "Nobel Prize for the Environment", the Goldman
Environmental Prize was awarded to Von Hernandez, 36, from the
Philippines, a campaigner who has fought for years to stop the
spread of incinerators and other polluting practices to developing
countries.
Now Toxics Campaigner for Greenpeace International and
co-coordinator of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives
(GAIA), Hernandez is the first Filipino to win the Goldman prize.
Each year six grassroots individuals from six regions of the world
are recognized as "environmental heroes" and each awarded US
$125,000 to help them in their work.
"I´m delighted that this award has recognized the importance of
our work against incineration," said Hernandez. "It will help us
continue fighting the spread of dirty technology throughout
Asia."
A long-term campaigner against the serious human health hazards
posed by incinerating waste Hernandez wins the Goldman award for
his role in achieving historic legislation in the Philippines. In
1999 the country became the first in the world to ban waste
incineration nationwide. Hernandez´s work has also alerted the
whole region to the threat of incineration, and he remains at the
forefront of a battle to replace the ethos of burning and burying
waste with one of "zero waste" production. Waste prevention,
segregation, composting and recycling is by far the better
alternative to dangerous technology, says Hernandez.
His work has consistently highlighted the role of industrialised
nations in exporting pollution to developing countries. Through the
dumping of toxic waste and the export of dirty technologies rich
nations have brought untold risks for human health and the
environment to countries least able to deal with them.
"In the context of waste, exportation is exploitation," says
Hernandez. "We want to prevent those communities being targeted to
host landfills and incinerators from turning into toxic sacrifice
zones."
Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and China are all being inundated
with plans to erect incineration plants mostly from Japanese
companies with the promise of soft loan packages from the Japan
Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). Japan, a country
typified by heavy consumption patterns, has more incinerators than
any other country. It also has the highest levels of dioxin
emissions in the world today.
"The developing countries of Asia should avoid repeating the
mistakes of industrialized countries. Incineration not only
generates toxic pollution but perpetuates the continuing wastage
and plunder of finite resources. It has no place in a sustainable
future," Hernandez said.
In the course of his campaigning Hernandez has faced strong
industry pressure and harassment. He´s been threatened with libel
suits, ridiculed in the press by industry sympathizers, and blamed
for the Manila garbage crisis. Public officials who wanted to lift
the incineration ban even publicly threatened to dump garbage on
Hernandez doorstep.
Now in San Francisco to receive his award Hernandez, and the
other winners, were congratulated by the founder of the Goldman
Environmental Prize. "This year´s winners have looked beyond
themselves, often risking freedom or safety, to inspire their
communities to fight for environmental protection," said Richard N.
Goldman. "We are honoured to recognize work that exemplifies how
much can be accomplished when ordinary people take extraordinary
action to protect the health of our planet."
As part of the prize Hernandez will attend a series of high
level meetings with US Congress, senior World Bank officials and
public policy leaders in San Francisco. He will not miss the
opportunity to ask the World Bank to stop funding the construction
of incinerators in developing countries.
VVPR info: High resolution images of Von Hernandez, together with a detailed backgrounder, can be downloaded from http://www.goldmanprize.org/media/ username: prize password: 2003
Notes: The Goldman Environmental Prize allows individuals to continue winning environmental victories against the odds and inspire ordinary people to take extraordinary actions to protect the world. The Goldman Environmental Prize was created in 1990 by civic leaders and philanthropists Richard N. Goldman and his late wife, Rhoda H. Goldman. Richard Goldman founded Goldman Insurance Services in San Francisco. Rhoda Goldman was a descendant of Levi Strauss, the founder of the worldwide clothing company.The Goldman Environmental Prize winners are selected by an international jury from confidential nominations submitted by a worldwide network of environmental organizations and individuals. Prizewinners participate in a 10-day tour of San Francisco and Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony and presentation, news conferences, media briefings, and meetings with political, public policy, financial and environmental leaders.Background on the Prize and previous winners is available at http://www.goldmanprize.org/