- The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour, annually recognizing outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector
- The Champions of the Earth inspire, defend, mobilize and act to tackle the greatest environmental challenges of our time
- This year’s awards recognise laureates in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Inspiration and Action, Policy Leadership, Entrepreneurial Vision and Science and Innovation.
Nairobi, 11 December 2020 -The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today announced six laureates of the 2020 Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour. The Champions were chosen for their transformative impact on the environment and their leadership in urging bold and decisive action on behalf of the planet and its inhabitants.
Since its inception in 2005, the annual Champions of the Earth award has brought visibility and validation to some of the world’s most dynamic environmental leaders, from pioneering scientists and captains of industry to heads of state and community activists. The awards celebrate inspirational and motivational examples of the potential of individual and collective action to change the world.
Congratulating this year’s laureates, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “In the middle of a global pandemic, with societies struggling, economies stretched to their limits and an escalating biodiversity and climate crisis, we need to act boldly and urgently to repair our relationship with nature and take the path of sustainable development. Each year, the United Nations honours these environmental champions for their leadership and vision. Their efforts confront the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.”
“This year’s Champions of the Earth have dug their heels in, faced down adversity and taken on the immense challenge of working to protect and restore our environment,” said UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen. “They not only inspire us, they also remind us that we have in our hands the solutions, the knowledge and the technology to limit climate change and avoid ecological collapse. It is time for us all to act for nature.”
The 2020 Champions of the Earth in alphabetical order are:
- Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama of Fiji, honoured in the Policy Leadership category for his global climate action work and his commitment to climate-responsive national development
- Dr. Fabian Leendertz (Germany), honoured in the Science and Innovation category for his discoveries in zoonotics and his work in One Health
- Mindy Lubber (USA), recognized in the Entrepreneurial Vision category for her commitment to turning capital markets green by mobilizing top investors and companies and making the business case for climate action and sustainability
- Nemonte Nenquimo (Ecuador), awarded in the Inspiration and Action category for her leadership and unifying work with indigenous communities that halted drilling in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest
- Yacouba Sawadogo (Burkina Faso), also honoured in the Inspiration and Action category for teaching farmers his traditional nature-based solution to regenerate their soil and turn barren land into arable land and forest across Africa
This year’s champions are joined by Professor Robert D. Bullard (USA) who was awarded the Champion of the Earth Lifetime Achievement award for his commitment and service to environmental justice.
By amplifying news of the significant work being done on the environmental frontlines, the Champions of the Earth awards aim to inspire and motivate more people to act for nature. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Champions were announced online, on the cusp of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which starts in early 2021. The awards are part of UNEP’s #ForNature campaign to rally momentum for the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in Kunming in May 2021, and catalyze climate action all the way to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
About Champions of the Earth
Champions of the Earth recognizes outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector. Since its inception in 2005, the Champions of the Earth award has recognized 95 laureates including 24 world leaders, 57 individuals and 12 organizations. Past laureates include, among others, former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet, the climate change youth movement Fridays for Future, marine biologist Sylvia Earle, American statesman Al Gore, and the National Geographic Society.
For more information, please contact:
Keishamaza Rukikaire, Head of News and Media, UN Environment Programme,
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres shares his message of support for the 2020 Champions of the Earth, the UN’s highest environmental honour, and Young Champions of the Earth, UNEP's forward looking prize.
The Champions were chosen for their transformative impact on the environment and their leadership in urging bold and decisive action on behalf of the planet and its inhabitants. The awards celebrate inspirational and motivational examples of the potential of individual and collective action to change the world.
Together, they Act #FORNATURE.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
"In the middle of a global pandemic, with societies struggling, economies stretched to their limits and an escalating biodiversity and climate crisis, we need to act boldly and urgently to repair our relationship with nature and take the path of sustainable development.
The Champions and Young Champions of the Earth inspire and mobilize.
Each year, the United Nations honours these environmental champions for their leadership and vision. They see promise in the peril of our times as they take on some of our greatest challenges. They are political leaders, innovators, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs and defenders of the environment.
Their efforts confront the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
I commend this year’s Champions of the Earth. Their efforts to face down adversity affirm that we can protect and restore our environment for the good of all people and the planet." - UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Known as the “Father of Environmental Justice”, Professor Robert D. Bullard is a scholar, activist and leader of the environmental justice movement. Through extensive research and advocacy, he has served as a catalyst of environmental racism for four decades.
Known as “the man who stopped the desert”, Yacouba Sawadogo from Burkina Faso has been working since the early 1980's to turn barren land into forest in the Sahel. By modifying the Zaï technique, he teaches farmers to regenerate their soil with innovative use of indigenous and local knowledge.
Nemonte Nenquimo leads the Waorani people living in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest. In 2019, the Waorani won a legal victory to protect half-a-million acres of rainforest from oil drilling, setting a precedent for regional indigenous rights. She co-founded Ceibo Alliance to unite indigenous communities in protecting their lands and livelihood.
Roberta Annan, Li Bingbing, Gisele Bündchen, Aidan Gallagher, Ellie Goulding, Dia Mirza, Lewis Pugh, Alexander Rendell and Antoinette Taus present the Champions and Young Champions of the Earth 2020.
On 11 December 2020, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced six laureates of the 2020 Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour. The Champions were chosen for their transformative impact on the environment and their leadership in urging bold and decisive action on behalf of the planet and its inhabitants. Since its inception in 2005, the annual Champions of the Earth award has brought visibility and validation to some of the world’s most dynamic environmental leaders, from pioneering scientists and captains of industry to heads of state and community activists.
The awards celebrate inspirational and motivational examples of the potential of individual and collective action to change the world. Together, they Act #FORNATURE.
The word champion is a powerful one; it can be a noun, or a verb, or even a descriptor of something excellent, someone extraordinary, the best of the best. All three meanings befit the winners of this year’s Champions of the Earth award and the Young Champions of the Earth prize.
On 11 December 2020, it is the privilege of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to announce the six Champions of the Earth laureates. This is the United Nations’ highest possible environmental honour, awarded to activists, heads of state, scientists and business leaders for their transformative impact on the environment, and their unapologetic demands that humans behave better for the sake of our planet and our future.
Then, on 15 December 2020, the seven Young Champions of the Earth prize winners will take the spotlight. These brilliant young environmentalists, aged 18-30, will receive seed funding and mentorship. UNEP designed this award to support their bold, innovative ideas to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
These 13 champions were selected by a global jury following a public nomination process. This year was extremely competitive, with a record number of nominations. This demonstrates the increasing commitment to environmental protection, and the importance of doing our part to safeguard and restore our planet.
The stakes could not be higher. From forest fires to floods, from species loss to zoonotic disease, the loss of nature and human expansion into wild spaces is provoking an environmental crisis. The UNEP champions demonstrate through their work that collective action can meet the multiplying and interlinked threats to our planet and its inhabitants. Their work is a challenge to all of us – a challenge to completely recalibrate our relationship with nature, to participate in bold and immediate action in service to our health, our financial stability and the health of our environment.
Where to find out this year’s winners
On 11 December: The six Champions of the Earth laureates will be announced here and on UNEP social media.
On 15 December: The seven Young Champions of the Earth will be announced here and on UNEP social media.
The United Nations Environment Programme’s Champions of the Earth and the Young Champions of the Earth honour individuals, groups and organizations whose actions have a transformative impact on the environment.
The winners are announced in December 2020, on the cusp of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.
By showcasing news of the significant work being done on the environmental frontlines, both awards aim to inspire and motivate more people to act for nature. The awards are part of UNEP’s #ForNature campaign to rally momentum for the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Kunming in May 2021, and catalyze climate action all the way to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021.
Preparations are underway in UN Environment Programme (UNEP) for the 2020 Champions of the Earth and Young Champions of the Earth awards. The laureates of the UN’s highest environmental honours will be announced this December 2020, following a record number of nominations received earlier this year.
“Through the Champions of the Earth award, the UN Environment Programme seeks to recognize the immense contributions of people from all walks of life to supporting a healthy planet,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “We celebrate those individuals, communities, businesses and governments who go the extra mile to protect the earth.”
Established in 2005, the Champions of the Earth award recognises the contribution of outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions and initiatives have a positive, lasting impact on the environment. The Young Champions of the Earth prize launched in 2017. It is a forward-looking prize designed to breathe life into the ambitions of brilliant young environmentalists age 18-30.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s award announcements will be fully digital. A change from last year, where the winners were announced at a star-studded gala event in New York.
The announcement of the 2020 laureates falls during a key time for environmental action. A triple planetary crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution – puts us at risk of irreversibly changing our relationship with the natural world and how we benefit from it. December 2020 marks five years since the Paris Agreement was adopted. It is also the eve of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration starting in 2021. During the next 10 years, the decade aims to halt and reverse degradation and raise awareness about the need for restoring the natural world and the many benefits it brings to humankind.
“Act for Nature”, the slogan for this year’s award, reflects the commitment and determination of the laureates. Over the years these Champions have consistently presented affordable, achievable and scalable environmental solutions to the world.
Today the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) confirmed over 1,500 nominations from around the world were received for the 2020 Champions of the Earth award. The online nomination portal for the prestigious environmental award closed yesterday, after being open for two months from 21 January to 20 March 2020.
Established in 2005, Champions of the Earth is an award celebrating visionaries in four categories:
- Policy leadership,
- Inspiration and action,
- Entrepreneurial vision,
- and Science and innovation
The award is the UN’s highest environmental honour, recognizing the contribution of outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose works has a positive impact on the environment.
A team of UNEP staff and subject experts will now review and consider each nomination, creating a list of finalists. These will be sent to a high level jury who select the laureates. The awards will be presented to this year’s laureates at a ceremony later this year.
Last year UNEP honoured 12 environmental changemakers from around the world with the 2019 UN Champions of the Earth Award and the Young Champions of the Earth Prize.
Since its launch, UNEP has presented the Champions of the Earth award to 93 laureates, ranging from world leaders to environmental defenders and technology inventors. They include 22 world leaders, 57 individuals and 14 groups or organizations.
Nairobi, 20 January 2020 – Nominations for the 2020 Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour, opened today, aiming to recognize the contribution of outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have had a positive impact on the environment. The nominations will remain open until 20th March 2020.
Established in 2005, the award celebrates visionaries in four categories: Policy leadership; Inspiration and action; Entrepreneurial vision, and Science and innovation.
“Through the Champions of the Earth award, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) seeks to recognize the immense contributions of people from all walks of life to supporting a healthy planet,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “At a time when humanity continues to wreak havoc on our environment, we celebrate those individuals, communities, businesses and governments who go the extra mile to protect the earth.”
Every year, Champions are selected from hundreds of nominees globally, submitted through a public nomination process; the list of nominees is ultimately submitted to a jury – made up of a wide range of environmental experts – which then selects the laureates.
Since its launch, UNEP has presented the Champions of the Earth award to 93 laureates, ranging from world leaders to environmental defenders and technology inventors. They include 22 world leaders, 57 individuals and 14 groups or organizations.
“Being named Champions of the Earth was a huge honour for us, and inspired us to work even harder to protect South Africa’s animals,” said Collet Ngobeni from the Black Mambas, South Africa’s first majority-woman anti-poaching ranger unit. “We can all be Champions of the Earth by protecting nature.”
The 2019 Champions of the Earth were: The nation of Costa Rica, for Policy Leadership; Ant Forest, a Chinese mini-programme and tree-planting initiative, and the climate youth movement, Fridays for Future, in the category of Inspiration and action; Professor Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist from Texas Tech University in the Science and innovation category; and outdoor clothing brand Patagonia, in the category of Entrepreneurial vision.
The awards will be presented to this year’s laureates at a ceremony later this year.
Nominate a Champion of the Earth
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the UN Environment Programme
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
For more information, please contact:
Keishamaza Rukikaire, Head of News & Media, UNEP, +254717080753
