The Asahi Glass Foundation, a non-profit organization established by the Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. (now AGC) in 1933 in commemoration of its twenty-fifth anniversary, announced the 2022 Blue Planet Prize winners in June this year. The Blue Planet Prize is an international environmental award that honors individuals or organizations which have made a significant contribution to solving global environmental problems. This year’s two winners of the Blue Planet Prize are His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan, and Professor Stephen Carpenter (USA), Professor Emeritus of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison. His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan, is the visionary leader who introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) which places the well-being of the people at the heart of development. GNH thus lends importance to environmental conservation, sustainable and equitable development, and promotion of culture and social values which contribute to collective happiness. Using happiness as a social indicator was taken up by the United Nations, and the OECD has also employed it in their reports, giving inspiration for an alternative paradigm to modern society. Professor Stephen Carpenter has conducted research on lake ecosystems for more than 40 years. Through his research on lake eutrophication, from nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, he has examined the resilience of lakes using mathematical models, providing a new perspective on social-ecological systems.

For more information on the winners, please visit the Foundation’s website at: https://www.af-info.or.jp.