The British Environment and Media Awards
Encyclopedia
The British Environment and Media Awards, or BEMAs, were created by Media Natura, and are awarded by the World Wide Fund for Nature
. The awards are open to any professional article, programme, website or campaign, written, produced or undertaken in the UK. Past hosts have included Angus Deayton
, and Michael Fish
In 2007, the year the awards became carbon neutral
, winners included:
Some of the award's sponsors, which include the RSPB, have attracted some condemnation, such as Surfers Against Sewage
protest at the 2007 awards where they handed Northumbrian Water
a gold toilet-brush for "showing a disregard to the health of the marine environment". Northumbrian Water however insist they are "the leading environmental company in the North East", having "invested some £2 billion on environmental and service improvements since 1990"]].
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
. The awards are open to any professional article, programme, website or campaign, written, produced or undertaken in the UK. Past hosts have included Angus Deayton
Angus Deayton
Gordon Angus Deayton is an English actor, writer, musician, comedian and broadcaster. He is best known for his role as Victor Meldrew's long-suffering neighbour Patrick Trench in the comedy series One Foot in the Grave...
, and Michael Fish
Michael Fish
Michael Fish MBE is a semi-retired British weather forecaster, best known for his BBC Weather television presentations, although he was actually employed by the Met Office....
In 2007, the year the awards became carbon neutral
Carbon neutral
Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference...
, winners included:
- The Guardian Newspaper
- The Financial TimesFinancial TimesThe Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
's Fiona Harvey for exposing corruption in the carbon offsetCarbon offsetA carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere....
market - The BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
News at Ten for its coverage of climate changeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average... - The student organisation People & PlanetPeople & PlanetPeople & Planet is a network of student campaign groups in the UK. It claims to be "the largest student campaigning organization in the country campaigning to alleviate world poverty, defend human rights and protect the environment."-Organization:...
for its university environmental performance table, the Green LeagueThe People & Planet Green LeagueThe People & Planet Green League is a ranking of United Kingdom universities based on their sustainable practice. It is compiled by the student campaign group People & Planet....
Some of the award's sponsors, which include the RSPB, have attracted some condemnation, such as Surfers Against Sewage
Surfers against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage is a campaign for clean, safe recreational water free from sewage effluents, toxic chemicals, nuclear waste and marine litter. SAS also campaigns to protect surf spots from environmental damage, negative impacts on wave quality and to safeguard wave riders right of access....
protest at the 2007 awards where they handed Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water Group plc is the holding company for several companies in the water supply, sewerage and waste water industries. NWG's largest subsidiary is Northumbrian Water Limited , which is one of ten companies in England and Wales that are regulated water supply and sewerage utilities...
a gold toilet-brush for "showing a disregard to the health of the marine environment". Northumbrian Water however insist they are "the leading environmental company in the North East", having "invested some £2 billion on environmental and service improvements since 1990"]].