Branson, Gore Announce $25 Million ‘Virgin Earth Challenge’

February 9, 2007

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Sir Richard Branson and Al Gore have set up a new global science and technology prize -? The Virgin Earth Challenge - which will award $25 million to the individual or group who are able to demonstrate a commercially viable design which will remove at least 1 billion tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year for at least ten years without harmful effects. The removal must have long term effects and contribute materially to the stability of the Earth’s climate. It is the largest science and technology prize ever offerred.

The Virgin Earth Challenge will initially be open for five years; the judges will meet annually to determine whether a design has been submitted during the previous year that in their view should win the prize and, if so, they may award the prize without waiting for the five year period to elapse. If no winner has been selected at the end of five years, the judges may decide to roll the prize forward for a further five years.

Brandon called on governments and members of the international community to join in The Virgin Earth Challenge by matching or adding to the prize available to encourage the greatest number of entrants of those who could come up with a solution which could save our planet. “If the greatest minds in the world today compete, as I’m sure they will, for The Virgin Earth Challenge, I believe that a solution to the C02 problem could hopefully be found -? a solution that could save our planet – not only for our children but for all the children yet to come,” Branson said.

Branson will be joined in the adjudication of the Prize by a panel of five judges – all world authorities in their respective fields: Al Gore, Sir Crispin Tickell, Tim Flannery, Jim Hansen and James Lovelock. The panel of judges will be assisted in their deliberations by The Climate Group and Special Advisor to The Virgin Earth Prize Judges, Steve Howard.

The announcement comes on the heels of the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which last week announced that temperatures on earth could increase by as much as 6.4C by the end of this Century.

“By launching the $25 million Virgin Earth Challenge, the largest ever science and technology prize to be offered in history, we want to encourage scientists and individuals from around the world to come up with a way of removing lethal carbon dioxide from the earth’s atmosphere,” Branson said. “By competing for this prize they will follow in the footsteps of many of history’s greatest inventors and innovators. But in this case potentially save the planet. It is our hope and belief that the winner of The Virgin Earth Challenge will help to reverse the collision course our beautiful world is currently on. They will not only make history but preserve history for many, many generations to come. However, it is important to remember that there is a real possibility that no one will win this prize.”

“Carbon dioxide levels already are far above anything measured in the prior 650,000 year record, and just last week in Paris scientists gave us their strongest warning yet of the consequences of inaction,” Gore said. “So the dangers are clear. But the opportunities, if we take action now, are innumerable, and Sir Richard’s initiative to stimulate exploration of this new approach to the climate crisis is important and welcome.”

The creation of the Virgin Earth Prize is one of a number of Branson initiatives including investment in renewable energy research and the $3 billion dollar Clinton Initiative pledge in September 2006.

Al Gore has planned a series of concerts “bigger than Live Aid” in a bid to put the subject of climate change before a global audience,

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Reader Comments

My book Published by John Wiley and Sons Chichester UK,”Fuel Cells,Engines,Hydrogen,an Exergy Aproach”,offers up to 400% efficiency gain in power generation from fossil fuels. There is a raft of developement problems of government size to solve

Frederick J Barclay | May 19th, 2007

Please,provide contact infromation to subbmit disclosure documentation for entry: “The Virgin Earth Chalenge.”

Jesus Muhammad-Ali | May 25th, 2007

You are still looking to modify a propeller driven airplane when it’s time for a jet engine … in this case it’s a Permanent-Magnet powered engine which the establishment has successfully kept off the market for decades.
THINK OUT OF THE BOX.

Sid Sherman | May 29th, 2007

IT LOOKS LIKE A FUNNY YOKE FROM AL GORE AND SIR BRANSON TO CATCH MEDIA ATTENTION.
SINCE NO ONE SHOWS UP IN THE VIRGIN EARTH WEB-SITE TO INFORM, REGISTER AND SUPPORT CONTENDANTS.
I GET OUT WITH MY PROYECT.

JOSE MA JIMENEZ | June 23rd, 2007

Sirs,

There are plenty of articles announcing the prize and the rules but no where that I can find is the mechanism to sign up for the competition. Is this a joke or only limited to the inside elite? Please publish how to compete now.
Thanks, Ronald Davenport

Ronald Davenport | September 4th, 2007

Maybe someone will create the ‘Mother-load’ invention that saves us from ourselves, but, in case not,- there are several things we should be doing right now while waiting for eureka. First of all, all chemical fertilizers should be removed and rendered harmless, if possible. Reason being that they eventually make it to the ocean and kill algae( greatest source of oxygen). Next, all the telephone/electric poles should be retrofitted to capture wind energy, connected across the country(ies) relaying and recharging bountiful free energy. Next, lands that were overgrazed and rendered barren should be reseeded by plane during monsoonal rainy seasons. Next, the billions of trees that are decaying because of the bark- beetle should be shredded and mixed with crops(?)to be pressed into somesort of building materials instead of decaying into more caron- dioxide pollution. I don’t know which crop would create a binder like that of natural treesap. And, the land exposed, after harvesting the dead trees, should be replanted with seedlings. There are thousands of projects we should be doing for Earth’s sake and man’s. These are some ideas I hope you will add to you very well-intended list. Good-luck!

Melissa Austin | October 6th, 2007

This shot gun approach is not effective. We are looking at one solution that is natural to directly solve the problem. So far, Iron Fertilization is the closest thing we have found to do the job on such a massive scale without side effects detrimental to eco-systems.

Darrell Caraway | December 5th, 2007

Al Gore spoke in Silicon Valley shortly after receiving the Nobel Prize and expressed the importance of Techie transportation. This is really important, because even if we started Iron fertilization right now, we are unable to counter act the exhaust gas from our cars and trucks, etc. If we use a non-internal combustion method of powering passenger cars, for instance, we can start reducing the emissions that have got us in the trouble we are in. If we just keep producing gasoline powered cars and trucks, we will not be able to overcome the carbon emissions, since we are increasing our population on a J curve and increasing our automobile production to match it, with new cars and trucks.
I drive a 40 year old car, and it runs on gas, but as an example, re-using a car by fixing it instead of throwing a car away after 5 or 10 years like most people do, we save natural resources.
In this case, we are facing a matter of having started the concept that a new car is a sign of prestige. It is not. It is ruining our eco-system.

We need to be able to replace our current internal combustion engines with non-fuel burning motors. Right now, there is a company in Berkeley, California that has produced a car that uses a battery similar to the ones used in a cel phone. This battery also has been managed to run longer and to allow the car to run at normal highway speeds. So progress is being made.

Our challenge is to make these things mainstream.
One company in a small town making a few cars won’t be enough. If we can rally the major automobile manufacturers and also retrofit the existing cars with new safe emission or no emission power plants then we have a new industry to look forward to. The time has come.

Also, the weight of the cars currently being made is too high. A Rover, for instance, weighs 8,000 pounds. On the case of power to weight ratios, take the second car I own, a 1969 Triumph Spitfire (from Coventry) – it weighs 945 pounds wet. The power needed then is 75 H.P.

Darrell Caraway | December 5th, 2007

Government supported house exchange. The plan is to give tax breaks for those change house so they could be closer to work.

lluju guju | April 4th, 2008

Increase and promote growth in the oceans like algae and other co2 reducing plants or organisism which might and has dual function

lluju guju | April 4th, 2008

Well, the government has been preventing technology from being produced for over 30 years that would give us the ability to travel for free without burning oil.

Ali mentioned one solution below

The Government needs something to tax, so I say we take it right to the step beyond perpetual.

Take the magnetic drive system to move the vehicles and add generators to create energy during it’s travels.

Imagine pulling into a filling station and getting paid to discharge your battery… It gives the Government something to tax so they would have to allow it to move forward. The oil companies don’t need to worry, they are at the peak of production and demand will continue to rise from those who don’t care about the future of this planet.

There are many ways to reach perpetual, toss out the formulas because they will tell you it can’t be done…

I already have a working prototype…

Get me some funds and keep the government and oil companies away while I perfect it.

We could have them coming off the lines at GM by the end of next year…

no pollution, no gas…

Dave Carlson | May 18th, 2008

make all roads&roofs to reflect instead of absorbing

jeff kinkade | August 16th, 2009

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