22 April 2009: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced seven innovators of environmental change as UNEP 2009 Champions of the Earth at a gala event in Paris, France. This year’s winners include tropical forest and climate campaigner Kevin Conrad, wind power entrepreneur Tulsi Tanti, and Norwegian Environment Minister Erik Solheim.

Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, presented the awards to the winners and highlighted that “passion, creativity, intellect, vision and drive” unites the 2009 winners. He stressed these are key qualities urgently needed with less than 230 days left before the climate change conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. [UNEP press release]