Barack Obama to receive an industry award. Well not really but, as he has recently proven, it pays to have a dream sometimes.

There is an old saying that goes something like this: 'When you wake from having a good dream, you have a choice; you can either go back to sleep and carry on dreaming, or, you can get up and try and make the dream come true'.

I am not sure what President Barack Obama was dreaming the other morning when he was awoken to be told that he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. When awake, Obama has been consistent in his 'call for action' for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

The Nobel Peace prize, made to someone so early in office, would appear to be not so much for what he has done but in faint hope that he will succeed in the future. It has been said that he has given people everywhere 'permission to dream [of peace] again'. The award reflects the sincere hope that these dreams will not turn into nightmares.

Of course, the more cynical observers have claimed that the award has been made simply for not being George Bush and they may have something in that too. A change was desperately needed, and when it came, it was welcomed in many quarters, simply for that; being a change.

Whatever, the true reason for the award, I like to think that it shows that this time the committee has been proactive and forward thinking by not only rewarding an action, but by aiming to be encouraging of future actions and directions. Rightly or wrongly, this controversial approach to awards has also been taken recently in our own industry.

We are an industry in change, in a changing world; where the challenges of normal economic trading need to be balanced against the aims of reducing our industry's environmental impact. Initiatives by individuals, companies, and associations, that reduce refrigerant leaks, improve energy efficiency, and reduce direct and indirect CO2 emissions are forward thinking and are rightly applauded.

It is nice to see some dreams coming true and genuine improvements being made. The IoR's Real Zero campaign is an excellent example of a dream delivering real, tangible results.

Change is taking place, and there are no awards for carrying on as we were. We may not wish to be a 'Barack Obama', but being likened to a 'George Bush' really would be a nightmare!