The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established Champions of the Earth in 2005 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders from the public and private sectors and from civil society.
Award details
Typically, five to seven laureates are selected annually. Each laureate is invited to an award ceremony to receive a trophy, give an acceptance speech and take part in a press conference. No financial awards are conferred. This awards programme is a successor to UNEP's Global 500 Roll of Honour.
The prize includes $15,000 of financial support.
In 2017, the program was expanded to include Young Champions of the Earth â a forward-looking prize for talented innovators, 18 to 30, who demonstrate outstanding potential to create positive environmental impact. The initiative is run in partnership with the Covestro, a plastics company. It is awarded every year by UNEP to seven young environmentalists from around the world between the ages of 18 and 30, for their outstanding ideas to protect the environment.
Awardees: Champions of the Earth
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
Special Award:
2009
2008
- Balgis Osman-Elasha, Sudan from Africa - For her work on climate change and adaptation in northern and eastern Africa.
- Atiq Rahman, Bangladesh from Asia and the Pacific - For his national and international experience in sustainable development, and environment and resource management. He is one of the leading specialists in the field.
- Albert II, Prince of Monaco, Monaco from Europe: For his commitment to sustainable development in Monaco. Under his leadership, Monaco is now applying an exemplary policy on CO<sub>2</sub> reduction in every sphere of society as well as in the business sector.
- Liz Thompson, Barbados, from Latin America and the Caribbean - For her outstanding work at the national and international levels. She is one of the recognized leaders on environmental issues of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
- Timothy E. Wirth, United States from North America - For his work as the head of the UN Foundation and Better World Fund, he established the environment as a priority and mobilized resources to address it.
- Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal, Yemen from West Asia: For his environmental policies as Minister and then as Prime Minister in Yemen. He established its Ministry of Water and Environment and the Environment Protection Authority.
Special Prize:
2007
Special Prize:
2006
2005
Awardees: Young Champions of the Earth
2020
2019
2018
- Shady Rabab, Egypt.
- Miranda Wang, United States of America.
- Miao Wang, China.
- Hugh Weldon, Ireland.
- Heba Al-Farra, Kuwait.
- Gator Halpern, Bahamas.
- Arpit Dhupar, India.
2017
- Omer Badokhon, Yemen.
- Adam Dixon, Europe.
- Kaya Dorey, North America.
- Eritai Kateibwi, Earth for Asia & the Pacific
- Mariama Mamane, Niger.
- Liliana Jaramillo Pazmiño, Latin America & the Caribbean.
See also
References
External links