The Guardian’s Jonathan Watts reveals the results of the second China Environmental Press Awards:
Yang Chuanmin of Southern Metropolitan Daily won the in-depth investigation award for the second year in a row, firmly establishing herself as one of China’s environmental journalists.
Her report on a toxic spill from Zijin Mining – China’s biggest gold mining company – ripped apart the company’s claim to “Double Excellence” in balancing economic gains and environmental protection ….
Yuan Ying won the award for most influential report with an expose of shortcomings in the state’s solar energy subsidy program that prompted the government to shift direction. Yuan said she received irate calls from senior officials who were upset that she had cast them in an embarrassing light. “They should not blame the report. My aim is to improve the industry.”
Liu Jianqiang, a veteran journalist who led the judging panel as a representative of chinadialogue, noted that all but one of the 14 short-listed stories adopted a critical tone. He said these types of report played an increasingly constructive role in society ….
Translations of the winning stories will appear on chinadialogue and select ones will be republished on the Guardian Environment Network.
The awards are co-sponsored by The Guardian, bilingual environmental website chinadialogue, and Sina.com. Sina representative Zhou Xiaopeng said that, in addition to their involvement in the awards, “we want to use Weibo to build a circle for people interested in the environment. Our hope is that this turn into an influential forum.”
