UNEP Honours Six Environmental Visionaries with 2024 Champions of the Earth Awards
By Gloria Sarauniya Usman
NAIROBI,December 2024 – The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has unveiled the recipients of its 2024 Champions of the Earth awards, celebrating six exceptional individuals and organizations for their leadership and innovative solutions in addressing land degradation, drought, and desertification.
This year’s laureates include a trailblazing Indigenous leader, a determined environmental advocate, a transformative agriculture initiative, a pioneering scientist, and an ecologist whose work has reshaped sustainable practices globally.
The Champions of the Earth awards, the UN’s highest environmental honour, recognize extraordinary achievements in protecting the planet. Since its inception in 2005, the programme has honoured 122 outstanding environmental champions. Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, highlighted the urgency of tackling environmental crises,
stating: “Almost 40 per cent of the world’s land is degraded, with desertification and droughts becoming more frequent. However, these champions prove that solutions exist and that it is possible to restore our ecosystems through science, leadership, and the vital contributions of Indigenous Peoples.”
2024 Champions of the Earth Honourees:
Sonia Guajajara (Brazil) – Policy Leadership Category: Brazil’s first Minister of Indigenous Peoples and the first Indigenous woman in the role. Guajajara has successfully advocated for the recognition of 10 Indigenous territories, curbing deforestation, illegal logging, and trafficking.
Amy Bowers Cordalis (United States) – Inspiration and Action Category: A Yurok tribal member and legal advocate, Cordalis is leading the restoration of the Klamath River ecosystem and promoting sustainable fishing practices while safeguarding Indigenous rights.
Gabriel Paun (Romania) – Inspiration and Action Category: Founder of Agent Green, Paun has faced physical threats to expose illegal logging in Europe’s last old-growth forests, protecting unique biodiversity in the Carpathians.
Lu Qi (China) – Science and Innovation Category: A scientist and founder of the Institute of Great Green Wall, Lu has spearheaded the world’s largest afforestation project, reversing desertification and fostering global partnerships.
Madhav Gadgil (India) – Lifetime Achievement Category: Renowned ecologist Gadgil’s work in the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats region has influenced environmental policies and grassroots activism.
SEKEM (Egypt) – Entrepreneurial Vision Category: This initiative has transformed desert areas into productive farmland using biodynamic agriculture, promoting sustainable development and ecological restoration.
A Call to Action
Globally, an estimated 3.2 billion people are affected by desertification, and by 2050, droughts are expected to impact over three-quarters of the world’s population. UNEP’s #GenerationRestoration campaign underscores the importance of restoring ecosystems and achieving the ambitious goal of rehabilitating 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030.
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