In December 2024, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced the winners of the ‘2024 Champions of the Earth Award’, the UN’s highest environmental honor to recognize individuals and organizations making extraordinary contributions to environmental protection, focusing on combating land degradation, drought, and desertification.
- This year, nominations focused on finding champions who are restoring degraded land, increasing drought resilience and preventing desertification.
- Veteran Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil was awarded with the Champions of Earth award by the United Nations (UN). He is among the six awardees who have been bestowed the honour for their respective contributions in the field of conservation and environmental protection.
- The winners were announced at the 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
About the Champions of the Earth Award:
i.Established in 2005, this annual award honors remarkable leaders and initiatives from various sectors, including public and private entities, civil society, and academia, for their efforts to safeguard the planet.
- Since its inception, 122 laureates(7 world leaders, 70 individuals, and 19 groups or organisations) have been acknowledged for their exemplary work.
ii.The Champions of the Earth Award are celebrated in 4 categories: Policy Leadership; Inspirations and Action; Entrepreneurial Vision; and Science and Technology.
2024 Laureates:
| Category | 2024 Laureates | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime Achievement | Madhav Gadgil | India |
| Policy Leadership | Sonia Guajajara | Brazil |
| Science and Innovation | Lu Qi | China |
| Entrepreneurial Vision | Sekem organisation | Egypt |
| Inspiration and Action | Amy Bowers Cordalis | United States of America, USA |
| Inspiration and Action | Gabriel Paun | Romania |
Indian Ecologist Madhav Gadgil Named Champion of the Earth 2024 for Lifetime Achievement in Environmental Protection
Madhav Gadgil, a distinguished ecologist, academic, and writer from India, was honored in the Lifetime Achievement category for his tireless commitment to safeguarding both people and the planet.
About Madhav Gadgil:
i.Born in Pune, Maharashtra, Madhav Gadgil has had a scientific career spanning six decades, from Harvard University (USA) to key positions in India’s government. He is particularly celebrated for his groundbreaking research in India’s Western Ghats, a unique biodiversity hotspot.
- His efforts have led to vital environmental assessments and grassroots initiatives that have protected fragile ecosystems.
ii.He was the Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel(WGEEP) or Gadgil Commission, set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forest(MoEF) in 2010.
iii.He was one of the architects of India’s Biological Diversity Act and was also involved in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act.
Note:Â The Western Ghats is a mountain chain 1,600 kilometre(km) long running almost parallel to India’s western coast and spanning six Indian States: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu(TN).
Other Laureates:
i.Sonia Guajajara: As Brazil’s first Minister of Indigenous Peoples and the first female Indigenous minister, Guajajara received the Policy Leadership award.
- For over 20 years, she has been a passionate advocate for Indigenous rights, leading efforts to protect Indigenous communities and their lands.
ii.Amy Bowers Cordalis: Honored in the Inspiration and Action category, Cordalis has used her legal expertise and dedication to restoring ecosystems to help the Yurok tribe and the Klamath River in the United States of America (USA).
- Her efforts to restore the river and promote sustainable fishing practices have made a significant impact on the community and environment.
iii.Gabriel Paun: A environmental defender from Romania, Paun was recognized in the Inspiration and Action category for his work as the founder of Agent Green.
- Since 2009, his organization has been at the forefront of efforts to save biodiversity in the Carpathian Mountains by exposing illegal logging and protecting Europe’s last old-growth forests.
iv.Lu Qi: A Chinese scientist, Lu Qi was awarded in the Science and Innovation category for his three decades of work in science and policy to combat desertification.
- As Chief Scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, he has been instrumental in leading the world’s largest afforestation project, the Great Green Wall, which aims to reverse land degradation and shrink deserts.
v.SEKEM Initiative: Recognized in the Entrepreneurial Vision category, SEKEM is transforming agriculture in Egypt by helping farmers adopt more sustainable practices.
- Their work in biodynamic agriculture, along with afforestation and reforestation projects, has revitalized large areas of desert, turning them into productive agricultural lands and driving sustainable development.
About United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):
Executive Director(ED) – Inger Anderson
Headquarters– Nairobi, Kenya
Established– 1972
