(Colombo, 12 June 2020) The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has been awarded the 2020 Water Award from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in recognition of the institute’s outstanding research for finding water solutions for sustainable development.
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Awards program honors key international figures and organizations for their exemplary work and dedication towards environmental protection and sustainable development with special focus on three areas: climate change, biodiversity and water.
Dr. Claudia Sadoff, Director-General of IWMI accepted the award on behalf IWMI in a virtual awards ceremony organized by the Foundation.
The award was presented by Olivier Wenden Vice-president Chief Executive Officer who introduced IWMI as focussed on providing answers to some of the earth’s most pressing challenges. “Through these distinctions that we are presenting today, in this very special context, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation reaffirms its commitment alongside scientists, organisations and institutions working to restore harmony with nature and participate in building a fairer, more equitable and more sustainable world,” said Wenden.
“Our three award-winners, each in their own field, make a significant contribution to this goal. In this difficult economic context, supporting science, research and innovative solutions addressing environmental issues is of crucial importance. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has therefore decided to maintain the attribution of the three Prizes and their respective grants of 40,000 euros, in order to support the laureates and their remarkable initiatives.”
Speaking at the ceremony Dr. Sadoff said: “We are extremely proud to receive this honour from such a visionary patron and distinguished Foundation dedicated to advocating for the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development. And we are especially delighted that the Foundation recognises the centrality of the global water challenge alongside sustainability and climate.”
She added: “For over 35 years, IWMI researchers have devoted themselves to the cause of water resource management for sustainable development. How we manage water is critical to sustainable human development, to ecosystems and to all living things that depend upon them.”
The two other awardees were the Deccan Development Society which won the 2020 Biodiversity Award and Professor Johan Rockström winning the 2020 Climate Change Award.
IWMI has a track record of solutions-oriented water management research built on long term partnerships at local, country and regional levels and has been previously recognized through the award of the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize in 2012.
For more information, please contact:
Toby Johnson, Head Global Communications and Knowledge Management
e-mail t.johnson@cgiar.org; tel +94 (0)779425984
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is an international, research-for-development organization that works with governments, civil society and the private sector to solve water problems in developing countries and scale up solutions. Through partnership, IWMI combines research on the sustainable use of water and land resources, knowledge services and products with capacity strengthening, dialogue and policy analysis to support implementation of water management solutions for agriculture, ecosystems, climate change and inclusive economic growth. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, IWMI is a CGIAR Research Center and leads the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). www.iwmi.org