APEC in search of scientist vs climate change

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – Nominations are now open for the 2015 APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum has announced.

The ASPIRE Prize will go to “a young scientist whose collaborative research in the Asia-Pacific stands to revolutionize efforts to protect lives, livelihoods and the future of the global economy against the increasing threat posed by climate change.”

The theme of this year’s award – Disaster Risk Reduction: Understanding the Role of Climate Change and Variability – was selected by APEC chair for 2015, the Philippines.

The prize “spotlights the cross-border development of next generation technologies vital to helping economies adapt to changing natural conditions, strengthen environmental protection and build more resilient, sustainable communities,” APEC, which held a summit here last week, said.

Collectively, the 21 APEC member economies account for 40 percent of the world’s population, half of global trade, 60 percent of total GDP and most of global growth today. They are also hit by more than 70 percent of all natural disasters.

Alan Bollard, executive director of the APEC secretariat, noted that “APEC economies alone suffered around $70 billion in costs related to natural disasters annually over the last decade and the rapidly warming planet continues to magnify associated risks.”

On its fifth year, the ASPIRE Prize recognizes the interaction between the APEC region’s researchers, universities, research centers and the business community to foster cutting-edge ideas and technologies that result in more robust, integrated and sustainable economic activity.

Each APEC economy may nominate one individual for the ASPIRE Prize. Nominees must be from the region and under 40 years of age. The impact of their work will be screened against scholarly publications and must involve cooperation with peers from other APEC economies.

Relevant academic disciplines in 2015 include sustainable development, environmental studies, ecology, disaster management, urban planning and engineering, among others.

The ASPIRE Prize will be awarded at a ceremony in Cebu in August 2015. Wiley and Elsevier, publishers of scholarly and scientific research, are sponsors of this year’s prize worth $25,000.