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Global Environmental Citizen Award

2002 Global Environmental Citizen: Harrison Ford

On May 13, 2002, the Center's 2001 Global Environmental Citizen, Edward O Wilson, presented Harrison Ford with the 2002 Award, a recognition given out annually by the Center for outstanding achievement in raising awareness of global environmental change.

The award ceremony, which took place at the New England Aqaurium in Boston, also featured a private reception at Legal Seafoods and a panel discussion about biodiversity and human health.

The Center recognized Harrison Ford's efforts to protect biodiversity and raise awareness about the importance of conserving biological diversity. Mr. Ford is a vice chair of the Board of Conservation International (CI), on which he has served for more than ten years. A field-based organization with over 1,000 professionals in 30 countries, CI concentrates on protecting biodiversity hotspots -- 25 places comprising 1.4% of Earth's surface, but home to 60% of the variety of species. Ford's most recent work to bring awareness to biodiversity conservation efforts is his narration of the IMAX film Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance.

BOSTON, MA (May 13, 2002)–Harvard Medical School’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, the first medical school-based center in the United States bringing scientific rigor to the relationship between human health and the health of the global environment, awards its 2002 Global Environmental Citizen Award to Harrison Ford.

“Harrison Ford is a tremendous actor, but what is perhaps not well known about him is his commitment to protect biodiversity—the variety of plant and animal species that are threatened each day,” said Eric Chivian, MD, HMS assistant professor, Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment, and a former co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.  “Ecosystems provide the network on which all other life depends.  Harrison’s efforts to protect Earth’s most critical places are helping advance human health and well-being.”

“Our health relies entirely on the vitality of our fellow species on Earth,” said Ford. “When we protect the places where the processes of life can flourish, we strengthen not only the future of medicine, agriculture and industry, but also the essential conditions for peace and prosperity.  It is an honor to receive this award.  The Center’s leadership renews my belief that we can improve the course of our relationship with the natural world.”

Harrison Ford is a vice chair of the Board of Conservation International (CI), on which he has served for more than ten years.  A field-based organization with over 1,000 professionals in 30 countries, CI concentrates on protecting biodiversity hotspots–25 places comprising 1.4% of Earth’s surface, but home to 60% of the variety of species.  Ford’s most recent work to bring awareness to biodiversity conservation efforts is his narration of the IMAX film Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance showing at the New England Aquarium, the site of the award presentation. The film examines the planet’s biological diversity from the polar regions to the tropics.

Habitat degradation, invasive species, pollution, population growth, over-harvesting, and climate change are all major factors influencing species loss. As a result of human activity, the planet is now experiencing 100 to 1000 times the rate of species extinction than occurred before humans populated the planet.

“Forty percent or more of the species now alive could be gone in the next 50 years if we don’t change our practices,” said biologist Edward O. Wilson, Harvard University professor of biology, two time Pulitzer Prize winner and last year’s Global Environmental Citizen Award winner.  “Mr. Ford’s work has lead to the protection of hundreds of thousands of acres of land on multiple continents.  It will be my pleasure as last year’s winner to pass on the award to someone so dedicated to preserving biodiversity.”

The New England Aquarium is also unveiling today its newest exhibit on biodiversity called Living Links: Choices for Survival, a 5,000 square-foot, traveling National Science Foundation funded exhibit that will reach over three million people across the United States.  The $2 million dollar exhibit addresses the important threat of the loss of aquatic biodiversity.  The exhibit illustrates how various species create links within their habitats that form a complex web of interdependence.  Living Links is presented through three modules: Land to Sea, Freshwater to Land, and Freshwater to Sea.

The HMS Center for Health and the Global Environment and the New England Aquarium have joined in a number of programs to educate the public about the human health dimension of environmental change, including developing an exhibit on the human health importance of marine ecosystems.

“The Aquarium is proud to host this year’s ceremony,” said Edmund Toomey, President and C.E.O. of the New England Aquarium.  “Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance and Living Links are terrific illustrations of the important work Mr. Ford has undertaken.”