After learning that he won the award, Ma Jun stated that he would continue fighting for China’s environmental protection, and nature and cultural heritage preservation, according to a report by Voice of America on August 3.
“In the next 20 years, China will face tough challenges in environmental protection. We hope that through the efforts of our organization, we can attract more interested parties to participate in environmental protection work,” Mr. Ma was quoted as saying.
Ma Jun directs the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing. The institute’s website launched a map of China’s water pollution (http://en.ipe.org.cn/), the first public database of water pollution information in China. By clicking different areas on the map, users can check/monitor water quality and pollution of rivers and lakes across China. The site even allows for searches for factories and companies that violate environmental protection regulations. Ma Jun said that so far the site has listed more than 36,000 offending companies.
In 2007 Ma extended his work to air pollution and launched China’s air pollution map to provide the public air quality data. Since making it public, it lists more than 10,000 companies that violated air pollution regulations.
Ma Jun’s work in both water and air pollution has greatly raised Chinese people’s awareness of environmental pollution.
Other Chinese Winners
Another award winner is Chinese environmental activist Yu Xiaogang who is known for his efforts in researching and documenting the socioeconomic impact that dams and hydroelectric projects have had on local Chinese communities.
Known as Asia’s Nobel Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award was named after the late president of the Philippines. Among the award winners in recent years were several famous Chinese citizens, including the Asian hero, Doctor Jiang Yanyong who exposed Beijing’s cover-up of SARS; Doctor Gao Yaojie who is known for her AID’s prevention work, and blind right activist Mr. Chen Guangcheng. However, they were all denied permission to travel outside China to accept the awards. Some cannot attend because they are in prison for their activism.
Read the original Chinese article.
