Russia's Prime Minister was addressing a Global Energy Award gala gathering at the Constantine Palace in Strelna, St. Petersburg suburbia as he gave the honourable prize to its year's winners-Russian researchers Fedor Mitenkov and Alexander Sheindlin, and the USA's Leonard Koch.
"The Global Energy is thoroughly topical. That is one of the reasons for its prestige. Human demands are skyrocketing, and energy supplies have never before made such a burning issue as today. A cluster of problems inevitably go hand in hand with energy generation and consumption-fuel and power resources are dwindling, the environment polluted, and climate warming. Global team efforts alone can meet those global challenges for future safety and stability of the human race.
"A youth programme will soon be launched, attached to the Global Energy as a next step in its development. The programme will come to young researchers of the world as practical stimulus with the prospects of grants won," said the Prime Minister.
Intended for contestants below 35 years of age, the youth programme will focus on energy saving and the environmental effort, added Jaures Alferov, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Nobel Prize winner for physics, 2000.
Established in Russia, 2002, the Global Energy Award is intended for energy-related theoretical and practical breakthroughs. Federal President Vladimir Putin awarded it in a maiden gala last year.
Two of this year's winners-Fedor Mitenkov, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Leonard Koch-owe the award to rapid neutron reactor R&D, and Alexander Sheindlin, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, to thermal energy research breakthroughs.
