Environmental and marine protection: Boris Herrmann and partners are looking for "Planet Heroes 2024"
Tatjana Pokorny
· 12.03.2024
The starting signal has been given for the fourth edition of the "Planet Heroes 2024" competition organised by Boris Herrmann and Zurich Group Germany. Once again, the well-known sailing professional and Team Malizia's long-standing partner are looking for people and exemplary initiatives that are particularly committed to the environment, climate and the oceans.
Funding of up to 100,000 euros
Schools, universities and non-profit organisations such as associations or foundations in Germany can now apply for the award. We are looking for the best ideas and projects in the categories of climate protection, biodiversity and ocean and water protection. Depending on the scope of the initiative, the winning projects will receive funding of up to 100,000 euros, 60,000 euros or 30,000 euros, which will be made available over a period of three years. The application phase runs until 30 April 2024.
The Planet Hero Award is a joint initiative of Team Malizia and Zurich. It was awarded for the first time in 2021 under the guiding principle of wanting to take responsibility for the common future side by side. The award-winning projects are not only supported with money. Their further development steps will also be accompanied by a sponsor from the Zurich Executive Committee over a period of three years. The best projects will be honoured at the awards ceremony in Cologne on 10 October 2024.
In addition to Team Malizia's skipper Boris Herrmann, Carsten Schildknecht as CEO of Zurich Group Germany and Dr Katharina Reuter (Managing Director of BNW, German Sustainable Business Association), Prof. Dr Antje Boetius (marine biologist and Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute), Jörg-Andreas Krüger (President of NABU) and Kirsten Thonicke (geoscientist at PIK, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research) complete the Planet Hero Award jury this year.
Boris Herrmann: "We have to hurry!"
In the three main categories in 2023, the "Carbon Removal Initiative" project from the Technical University of Munich won in the Climate Protection category under the aspects of degree of innovation and further development potential, "MIYA - Fachverband zur Förderung der Miyawaki-Methode" in the Biodiversity category and "Die Lahntaucher" in the Ocean & Water Protection category, which also received the Community Prize, which is awarded to the public's favourite regardless of the jury's decision.
"Climate change calls for innovative solutions and creative ideas," says Boris Herrmann, explaining the motivation behind the competition. His message: "It's crunch time for climate protection. The 1.5-degree target is getting further and further away and we have to hurry! The Planet Heroes show that the combination of creativity, research and innovation leads to real results. The projects are inspiring and encouraging. I am delighted that we launched the award together with Zurich and have already come across so many great projects in just a few years."
