*/NEWS RELEASE ? FOR IMMEDIATE USE /*

*Sierra Club announces $100,000 "Green Energy and Green Livelihoods Award"*

*for Outstanding Environmental Success by NGOs in India*



/Mumbai, April 3, 2008/: The Sierra Club, the oldest and largest
grassroots environmental organization in the U.S., today announced a new
$100,000 "Green Energy and Green Livelihoods Achievement Award" to
recognize "outstanding environmental success in India" by civil society
organizations ? NGOs, cooperatives, small businesses and labor unions
working at the grassroots level in India.



The announcement was made by Mr Carl Pope, Executive Director of the
Sierra Club, at a news conference here today. The winner of the first
"Green Energy and Green Livelihoods Achievement Award" will be announced
in early 2009 in Mumbai. The award will be worth Rs 40 lakhs at the
current dollar:rupee value.



"The purpose of our award is to build public support for community
organizations in India that are helping the country leapfrog past
polluting and inefficient technologies in order to create green
livelihoods and a green economy.* *Effective grassroots organizations
deserve more credit for helping to promote positive societal change.
That's why the Sierra Club has created this award. Our environment
doesn't protect itself ? civil society must actively be involved in the
process," Mr Pope said.



*Center for Green Livelihoods *

In addition to the award, Pope also announced that the Sierra Club would
be establishing a Center for Green Livelihoods in India and partnering
with other civil society organizations to explore other ways of creating
a robust dialogue on developing a green economy.



"Western lifestyles, typified by the wasteful, inefficient use of the
most polluting energy resources, have set a poor example for citizens in
developing economies eager to improve their quality of life," said Sunil
Deshmukh, a founding member of Sierra Club's India Advisory Council.
"However, the reliance of both India and America on carbon fuel does not
come without a steep long-term price for both countries. Hence, the
importance of recognizing those working at the grassroots to cut carbon
emissions in innovative ways," he added.



*Communicating India's success to America and vice versa*

"Our new award is only part of the new Sierra Club effort we are
developing in India," said Pritpal Singh Kochhar, another founding
member of the Sierra Club's India Advisory Council. "We are also eager
to develop strategic regional partnerships with India's exceptional
environmental organizations to promote two-way communications. We want
to inform Americans about India's environmental successes and Indians
about America's environmental achievements."



The award will be given annually to one exemplary environmental or
environmentally-related organization that satisfies predetermined
criteria for constructive community-based work.



"And in case there is any confusion on this point, our new India
initiative will in no way lessen the vigor of the Sierra Club's U.S.
campaigning to push both the American public and our government to
drastically reduce America's overconsumption of natural resources," said
Stephen Mills, Director of the Sierra Club's International Programs. "We
are very aware that industrialization in America and in Western Europe
created the climate crisis, but the fact is the impact of global warming
will be felt globally, particularly in India. We must collaborate on
both the economic and environmental solutions."





The award process will occur in close consultation with an Indian
nominations board and a Sierra Club Prize Jury drawn from prominent
Indian, American NRI and environmental experts. Sierra Club staff and
representatives from the India-based recommendation committee will
carefully research each nominee, perform due diligence with respect to
each organization's authenticity and history of performance, and review
the qualifications of staff and financial viability of each organization
before recommending three semi-finalists to the Sierra Club prize jury.



The jury will examine recent community-based organizational
achievements* *that have broadened public support for green livelihoods.
Grassroots initiatives rather than scientific, academic or governmental
activities will merit greater consideration. The jury will look at
efforts to promote green economic empowerment, the creation of green
jobs, adaptation of renewable energy alternatives and initiatives that
have inspired others in the green movement. Organizational leadership in
a grassroots campaign that seeks to have, or results in, a significant
impact at the regional, national or global level will play a major role
in selection of the award.



*About The Sierra Club*



Established in 1892 by John Muir ? naturalist, writer and
conservationist ? the Sierra Club is the oldest and largest grassroots
environmental, organization in the United States with chapters in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and also in Canada since
1963.



Named "the most influential environmental organization" in Washington
D.C. by the Aspen Institute after a survey of every member of Congress
and key federal officials, the Sierra Club gives the public the
information and the means to make their voices heard. The Club's 1.4
million members and supporters in 65 chapters and over 400 local groups
possess the unique ability to empower people and influence public policy
through community activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation.



Its international activity program includes 'Stop Global Warming' to
limit the amount of greenhouse gases to ensure a stable environment for
the future; protecting the environment by ensuring equal civil
liberties; supporting family planning programs to manage world
population growth; and promoting Responsible Trade to maintain strong
environmental and health standards while expanding international commerce.



For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/india
<http://www.sierraclub.org/india>



Email Stephen Mills at Stephen.Mills@...
<mailto:Stephen.Mills@...> or india.program@...
<mailto:india.program@...>
India mobile: +91 97 489 54284

or

R&PM:Edelman

Allwyn Fernandes (allwyn.fernandes@...
<mailto:allwyn.fernandes@...>) : +91 98200 48601

Sushil Sharma (sushil.sharma@...
<mailto:sushil.sharma@...>) : +91
98210 23469












--
Darryl D'Monte
Chairperson, Forum of Environmental Journalists of India (FEJI)
International Federation of Environmental Journalists (IFEJ)
Kinara, 29-B Carter Road, Bandra West,
Mumbai 400 050, India
Tel 91 22 2642 7088, 2645 9286
& 3060 9014
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