Launched in 2005, UNEP’s Champions of the Earth award recognizes outstanding visionaries and leaders in the fields of policy, science, entrepreneurship, and civil society action whose service to the environment is saving lives, improving livelihoods and bettering environmental governance and conservation. UNEP is a coordinating partner of the Global Landscapes Forum 2014 and will be hosting a high-level dialogue on fiscal and trade policies to reduce deforestation.
According to a UNEP press release, this year the awards will go to
FOR POLICY LEADERSHIP
H.E. Tommy Remengesau, Jr. President of Palau for strengthening the economic and environmental resilience of Palau by spearheading national policies to protect biodiversity.
Sixth President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for becoming the first president from a major developing country to voluntarily pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL VISION
U.S. Green Building Council for changing the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated.
FOR SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Sir Robert Watson, Eminent Environmental Scientist for promoting the science behind ozone depletion, global warming and the impacts of biodiversity loss.
FOR INSPIRATION AND ACTION
Boyan Slat, Founder of The Ocean Clean-up Initiative for charting new territory in his quest for a solution to the worsening and global problem of plastic debris in our oceans.
Fatima Jibrell, Founder of Adeso (formerly Horn Relief) for building environmental and social resilience amidst war and devastation.
FOR LIFETIME LEADERSHIP
Sylvia Earle, Ocean Explorer and Conservationist for developing global “hope spots” to safeguard the living systems underpinning global processes that maintain biodiversity.
Mario Molina, Nobel Laureate and Renowned Ozone Scientist for spearheading one of the most significant climate-related global agreements ever made.
Winners will be honoured by UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner at an awards ceremony attended by UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Gisele Bundchen at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. on 19 November 2014.
Watch Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s speech at the Forests Asia Summit in Jakarta, May 2014
