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UN’s Champions of the Earth Awards
Why is it in news?
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded with the UN’s highest environmental honour, also given to five other individuals and organisations.
- It is given for his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and pledge to eliminate single use plastic by 2022.
UN’s Champions of the Earth Awards
- The champions are recognized for their achievements in the categories including Policy Leadership, Entrepreneurial Vision, Science and Innovation, Inspiration and Action, and Lifetime Achievement.
- Six of the world’s most outstanding environmental changemakers recognized with Champions of the Earth Award, the UN’s highest environmental honor.
- This years’ laureates are recognized for a combination of bold, innovative, and tireless efforts to tackle some of the most urgent environmental issues of our times.
- The winners of the 2018 Champions of the Earth Awards are:
- Joan Carling is recognized with the lifetime achievement award for her work as one of the world’s most prominent defenders of environmental and indigenous rights.
- Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are jointly recognized in the Science and Innovation category, for their revolutionary development of a popular, plant-based alternative to beef, and for their efforts to educate consumers about environmentally conscious alternatives.
- Emmanuel Macron, President of France and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, are recognized in the Policy Leadership category for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and promoting new areas of levels of cooperation on environmental action.
- China’s Zhejiang’s Green Rural Revival Programmeis awarded for Inspiration and Action for the transformation of a once heavily polluted area of rivers and streams in East China's Zhejiang province.
- Cochin International Airport will take home the award for Entrepreneurial Vision, for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy.
- Past laureates include: Afroz Shah, who led the world’s largest beach cleanup (2016), Rwandan President Paul Kagame (2016), former US Vice-President Al Gore (2007), Ocean Cleanup CEO Boyan Slat (2014), scientist-explorer Bertrand Piccard, and developer of Google Earth Brian McClendon (2013)
Source
The Hindu,UNEP