The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced the recipients of the UN's highest environmental honor, the ‘Champions of the Earth Award,' recognizing innovators and policymakers for service to the environment, saving lives, improving livelihoods and bettering environmental governance and conservation.
7 November 2014: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced the recipients of the UN’s highest environmental honor, the ‘Champions of the Earth Award,’ which recognizes innovators and policymakers for service to the environment, saving lives, improving livelihoods and bettering environmental governance and conservation.
The 2014 Champions of the Earth will be honored during an awards ceremony at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, US, on 19 November 2014, led by UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Gisele Bundchen will also attend the ceremony.
This year’s policy leadership awards will go to: Tommy Remengesau, Jr., President of Palau, for strengthening his country’s economic and environmental resilience by implementing national policies to protect biodiversity; and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former President of Indonesia, for becoming the first president from a major developing country to voluntarily pledge to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
For entrepreneurial vision, the award will go to the US Green Building Council for transforming the design, construction and operation of buildings and communities. The science and innovation award is given to Sir Robert Watson, environmental scientist, for promoting the science behind ozone depletion, climate change and the impacts of biodiversity loss.
Inspiration and action honors will go to: Boyan Slat, founder of the Ocean Clean-up Initiative, for focusing on finding a solution to the worsening problem of plastic marine debris; and Fatima Jibrell, founder of African Development Solutions (Adeso), for building environmental and social resilience during times of war.
Moreover, to mark the award’s tenth anniversary, lifetime leadership awards will presented to those whose life’s work and commitment to conservation have had a positive impact on humanity and the planet. These awards will be presented to: Sylvia Earle, ocean explorer and conservationist, for developing ‘hope spots’ to protect and maintain biodiversity; and Mario Molina, Nobel Laureate and ozone scientist, for spearheading ‘one of the most significant climate-related global agreements ever made.’ [UNEP Press Release] [Champions of the Earth Website] [UNEP Press Release on President Remengesau]