SINGAPORE — Ten journalists from six ASEAN countries won prizes at Siemens' inaugural Green Technology Journalism Awards gala in Singapore yesterday.
The winners were recognised for their exemplary reporting on issues relating to energy efficiency, industrial productivity and sustainability.
The winner of the "energy efficiency" category, Thean Lee Cheng of The Star in Malaysia, discussed the challenges faced by companies that wished to go green but remain profitable in her article Going Green. The piece underscored the importance of adopting a long-term approach when it came to sustainability.
The merit winner in this category, Myrna M Velasco of The Manila Bulletin, on the other hand, criticised her country's Renewable Energy Act in her column, The country's grand renewable energy ambition: fact or fiction?.
The award-winning articles in the "industrial productivity" category explored policy and technology issues in two important alternative energy sectors – green cars and biofuels.
The winning entry published in The Jakarta Globe: Green wheels: Why are cleaner cars still elusive in Jakarta, by Dewi Kurniawati discussed Indonesians' reluctance to buy hybrid or compressed natural gas powered cars, while the second-placed article in Media Indonesia entitled Electricity from oil palm waste, by Aris Munandar, highlighted the challenges of generating renewable energy from plant waste in Indonesia.
Deforestation was the hot topic in the "sustainability" category. Jessica Cheam of The Straits Times in Singapore won the top prize for her article Give Our Trees a Chance, in which she sounded alarm bells over the rapid rate at which rainforests in Southeast Asia are being depleted.
Purple S Romero of Newsbreak in the Philippines received the merit award for her report on the dangers of wood consumption for tobacco curing in Harming Ilocos forests?.
The judges from various industrial sectors, also gave special mention to two other submissions. Nguyen Thanh Tung from the Viet Nam Investment Review was credited for his piece on his country's efforts to build a low-carbon economy in the face of rapid industrialisation (Economy's green-coloured vision). Sawitree Rangabpit from Engineering Today in Thailand was also singled out for special mention for her article, Hospitals getting through a crisis with energy-saving measures.
Judges looked at more than 190 entries published last year in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
"We were very impressed with the quality of journalism displayed by the media in this region. The enthusiasm shown by journalists and editors towards our awards proves that sustainability is no longer just a buzz word in this part of the world – it has grown to become a real and pressing issue in both growing and developed economies," said Lothar Herrmann, CEO of Siemens Pte, Singapore, and CEO of Siemens ASEAN. — VNS