Environmental Prize from Harvard University

Since 2003, the Roy Family Award has been granted to exemplary public-private partnerships (PPP) for environmental protection. Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government runs an Environment and Natural Resource Programme, which grants the prize every two years. The School in Boston considers itself an important scientific centre for global environmental issues and resource management, and hopes to have an impact on policy-making.

The award is granted to a project or programme based on its innovative character, efficiency, potential reach and significance. In 2003, the prize was first awarded to a joint project between US energy provider American Electric Power, the Bolivian government, a local environmental organisation, oil and gas multinational BP and others. It was only later discovered that BP pipelines elsewhere were leaking; the large explosion that was the result of a lack of safety precautions also only made headlines after the award.

The third Roy Family Award was decided upon in January of 2007. A jury of more than 20 experts from all over the world granted the award to a PPP between InWEnt and Energiebau of Cologne, Germany (see article). The project won out against some 30 other projects, five of which were shortlisted, in deliberations lasting several months.