SWEDEN 22 January 2008 Former US vice president Al Gore receives 2007 Gothenburg Award on Sustainable Development

Al Gore, a former United States vice president and presidential candidate and now an environmental activist, receives the 2007 Gothenburg Award on Sustainable Development. "Like no other person he has called humanity to save the climate," according to the jury.

The 1 million Swedish kronor (US $144,000) prize from the City of Gothenburg aims to "stimulate and encourage strategic work for national and international sustainable development." It will be awarded at the city's public Save the Climate Event, at which Gore will be a speaker.

Gore's documentary film on climate change, "An Inconvenient Truth," was awarded an Academy Award in 2007.

The Gothenburg jury also praised Gore's 1992 book, "Earth in the Balance," and efforts to use his position to spread the environmental message via training programs and personal appearances.

Past winners of the Gothenburg Award on Sustainable Development are:

2006: Takeshi Uchiyamada, Takehisa Yaegashi and Yuichi Fujii, Japan
For their outstanding, purposeful and critical contributions to the development of Toyota Prius, the world's first commercial hybrid automobile.

2005: Abahuzamugambi coffee cooperative, Rwanda
For its pioneering work to produce coffee in a sustainable way from social, envioronmental, as well as economic aspects.

2004: Joan Bavaria, USA and Tessa Tennant, Great Britain
For their work in the field of sustainable investment, the purpose of which is to promote socially, environmentally and economically reponsible investing.

2003: Hans Eek, Sweden and Wolfgang Feist, Germany
For the technique of building houses with passive heating systems.

2002: Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway
For her visionary and innovative environment work for a sustainable development.

2001: Forest Stewardship Council and Control of Organic Production, KRAV
For their work with environmental certification and eco-labelling of forest and products.

2000: Geoffrey Ballard, Canada
For his work with fuel cell technology and its applications. (Sep/07)

RELATED READING:

City of Gothenburg International Prize web
http://www.goteborg.se/prod/sk/goteborg.nsf/1/english,environment,city_of_goteborg_international_environment_prize/

Environmental Sweden in brief (Sweden Gov.)
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/5400