This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
UNEP Champions of the Earth Awards 2019 ¶
On 26 September, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) held an awards ceremony in New York to honour 12 environmental changemakers from around the world with the 2019 UN Champions of the Earth Award and the Young Champions of the Earth Prize.
The ceremony came days after UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the world to take urgent action on climate change and make concrete commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The Champions of the Earth award is the UN's highest environmental honour, presented annually to outstanding leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector whose actions have had a positive impact on the environment.
President Carlos Alvarado Quesada of Costa Rica accepted the Policy Leadership award on behalf of his country, which has shown exemplary commitment to the protection of nature and spearheaded ambitious policies to combat climate change.
Other winners included Ant Forest, a digital Chinese initiative that encourages users to record their low-carbon footprint and plant trees; Professor Katharine Hayhoe, a Canadian climate scientist; and Patagonia, a US outdoor clothing brand that has put sustainability at the heart of its business model.
The youth climate strike movement Fridays for Future, inspired by Swedish teenager and climate activist Greta Thunberg, was named Champion of the Earth for Inspiration and Action.
Speaking at the ceremony, Fridays for Future representative Kallan Benson said: 'We will not put down our signs and go back to school until you act to stop fossil fuel emissions. Giving up is not an option.'
