The winners of the first-ever Green Climate Fund (GCF) Green Champion Awards were announced during the 2019 UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain. The Award recognizes and promotes successful efforts and initiatives to combat climate change through environmental, social and business-led commitments.

The Climate Youth Champion award was presented to Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti, Founder, Green Generation Initiative, for her work towards engaging youth in global environmental challenges. Accepting the award, she highlighted her work with 2,000 school children in Kenya focusing on greening schools, nurturing children, planting fruit trees to ensure food security and promoting a tree-planting culture.

The Climate Entrepreneur Champion was presented to Muhammed Lubowa, Uganda, whose company, All In Trade Limited, helps provide and maintain reliable and affordable renewable energy systems in East Africa.

Wills Agricole, Ministry of Environment, Seychelles, received the Transformational Country Champion award for his dedication to climate action in a small island developing State (SIDS).

Trupti Jain, India, received the Climate Gender Champion award for establishing the Women Climate Leaders Programme, which provides technical and financial skills to smallholder women farmers in developing countries. As an example, Jain highlighted innovative pumps providing stored water during the dry seasons that have helped decrease suicide rates among farmers during droughts.

The Argentina Network of Municipalities facing Climate Change (RAMCC) was recognized as the Climate Community Champion for its contribution to efforts of Argentinian cities, which have committed to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030.

The Climate Lifetime Achievement Champion award went to Francisco Gordillo, Ecuador, for his efforts to address river pollution through the creation of water funds. [IISD RS Coverage of the Awards Ceremony] [Green Champions Awards Website]

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IISD Reporting Services is providing coverage of selected side events during the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid, which is meeting through 13 December.