The Chinese government will present five awards to environmental activists for the first time on November 30. A list of 20 nominees was released in Beijing on Tuesday.

These include Tian Guirong, who volunteered to collect used batteries at his own cost of 200,000 yuan (US$24,600); Song Jun, an entrepreneur who championed a drive to reforest a desert; and Jiang Rong, author of a popular novel that appeals for attention to ecological protection.

Most of the nominees are volunteers.

"A large number of individuals have made prominent contributions to environmental protection in China. They play an important role in arousing the environmental protection consciousness of the whole society," said an official with the organizing committee.

"We decided to establish these awards to commend activists for their environmental protection efforts. Meanwhile, we also hope the awards will encourage more people to join their ranks," the official said.

The 20 nominees were selected by the organizing committee from a pool of 35,823 nominations.

Winners will be chosen based on the appraisal of a panel of experts, online votes, and the results of a public survey.

The awards ceremony will be held on November 30 in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2005)