The Prize announces a second category this year to focus on innovative solutions in the natural environment
Beijing, China—Today, the Paulson Institute, in partnership with Tsinghua University, announced the launch of the 2020 Paulson Prize for Sustainability (the “Paulson Prize”). Entities registered in China, including businesses, institutions, social organizations, and NGOs are invited to submit projects demonstrating ingenuity and leadership in sustainable development by July 15, 2020. An application is available here.
Initiated by the Paulson Institute in 2013 and partnering with Tsinghua University since 2017, the Paulson Prize is awarded annually to projects in China that present innovative, scalable, and market-based solutions at the intersection of economics and the environment to address the globe’s most pressing environmental challenges.
This year, due to growing interest in the Prize and an increased focus on conservation and biodiversity, the Paulson Prize is proud to announce a new category. In addition to the continued focus on Green Innovation, a prize in Nature Stewardship has been created to recognize innovative and scalable projects that preserve and protect the natural environment, including the restoration of natural ecosystems in China, such as wetlands, forests, oceans, rivers, grasslands, and deserts.
The Green Innovation category will remain focused on the built environment, including energy conservation, comprehensive utilization of resources, the circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and climate resilience.
“The world is facing health, economic, and environmental crises, unlike any previous time in history. A commitment to sustainability and conservation is the only option to ensure long-term human prosperity,” said Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Chairman of the Paulson Institute. “Through the Paulson Prize, we hope to highlight projects in the built and natural environment that provide innovative solutions to these challenges and can serve as models internationally.”
Professor Chen Xu, Party Secretary of Tsinghua University, said: “In recent years, the construction of an eco-civilization has become a widespread consensus in Chinese society. An increasing number of cities and enterprises in China are actively committed to green development, contributing to the sustainable development of human society while building a Beautiful China. We look forward to bringing more solutions to sustainable development with Chinese characteristics to the world through the solicitation of the Paulson Prize.”
The Paulson Prize is determined by an independent jury comprised of prominent international and Chinese leaders in the fields of economics, finance, energy, ecology, and environmental protection. The jury will evaluate submissions based on agreed criteria including creativity, environmental and ecological impact, scalability, financing mechanism, and social and economic co-benefits. The jury will visit and inspect the short-listed finalists and select the winning project in each category.
Previous winners include the Shenzhen Waste to Energy Plant and NIMBY Mitigation Project from Shenzhen, Bio-based Green Lubricating Oil Project from Jinhua, Organic Waste Recycling and Farmland Quality Improvement Project from Chengdu, Sustainable City Water Supply Network Leakage Control Solution from Beijing, Shenzhen International Low-Carbon City Project, and Jiaxing Nanhu New Country Village Project.
For more information, please visit: PaulsonInstitute.org/prize.
About the Paulson Institute
The Paulson Institute is a non-partisan, independent “think and do tank” dedicated to fostering a US-China relationship that serves to maintain global order in a rapidly evolving world. Our focus on US-China is dictated by the reality that it is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world. We often operate at the intersection of economics, financial markets, environmental protection, and policy advocacy, in part by promoting balanced and sustainable economic growth. Founded in 2011 by former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr., the Institute is based in Chicago with offices in Washington and Beijing.
About Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University was established in 1911. With the motto of “Self-Discipline and Social Commitment” and the spirit of “Actions Speak Louder than Words,” Tsinghua University is dedicated to the well-being of Chinese society and world development. At present, the university has 14 schools and 56 departments with faculties in science, engineering, humanities, law, medicine, history, philosophy, economics, management, education and art. The University has now over 25,900 students, including 13,100 undergraduates and 12,800 graduate students. As one of China’s most renowned universities, Tsinghua has become an important institution for fostering talent and scientific research.