The Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge was launched today, inviting submissions of innovative ideas to improve access to safe and sustainable water supply for communities where access is presently at risk. The winning project will receive a prize of $50,000, with a second place prize of $25,000.

Relevant Reed Elsevier products such as Water Research, the journal of the International Water Association, will be made available to applicants to help prepare their competition entry. The winning entries will be highlighted in Water Research.

According to the World Health Organisation, lack of water to meet daily needs is a reality for one in three people around the world. Poor access to safe water contributes to health crises in many developing countries, and increasingly leads to violent conflict.

The Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge will contribute to the Water for Life Decade, established by the UN General Assembly, running between 2005 and 2015, in support of the Millennium Development Goal to reduce by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water and to stop unsustainable exploitation of water resources.

Entries should focus on increasing access to safe and sustainable water supply where it is presently at risk and demonstrate that the project:

• Is replicable, scalable and sustainable, setting a high benchmark for innovation


• Emphasises solutions with practical applicability


• Addresses non-discrimination/equality of access from a scientific, legal or other basis


• Involves and impacts a range of stakeholders


• Engages local communities

Youngsuk "Y.S." Chi, CEO of Elsevier Science and Technology and a member of the Reed Elsevier Management Committee, said, "The Environmental Challenge will draw attention to a critical problem facing our world - access to water. By leveraging our extensive networks and environmental publishing expertise, Reed Elsevier is uniquely placed to facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information about improving access to safe and sustainable water supply - and through the Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge, we hope to highlight projects that really can make a difference."

To learn more about The Environmental Challenge, please visit the challenge website.

About Reed Elsevier
Reed Elsevier is a world leading publisher and information provider targeting the science and medical, legal and risk management, and business to business sectors. We provide high value and flexible information solutions to professional users, with increasing emphasis on internet delivery. Reed Elsevier employs around 32,000 people. In February 2010, Reed Elsevier reported revenues for 2009 of £6,071/€6,800m. Reed Elsevier Group plc is owned equally by two parent companies, Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. Their shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RUK and ENL.

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Elsevier

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Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com) is a global business headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and has offices worldwide. Elsevier is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc (http://www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading publisher and information provider. Operating in the science and medical, legal, education and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high-quality and flexible information solutions to users, with increasing emphasis on the Internet as a means of delivery. Reed Elsevier's ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

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