Deadline: February 12, 2021
Nominations are invited for the UNEP Champions of the Earth Award 2021. The Champions of the Earth award is the United Nation’s highest environmental honour. It recognizes outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have a transformative impact on the environment. Champions of the Earth inspire, defend, mobilize and act to tackle the greatest environmental challenges of our time.
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.
Categories
- Lifetime Achievement Award: This award is selected and conferred by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It recognises decades of consistent action on behalf of the planet and its inhabitants. The legacy of the laureates in this award is one of determined action. They share the knowledge that we can solve the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution with effective action.
- Policy Leadership Award: This award category recognizes individuals or organizations in public service whose actions and leadership have brought about profound, positive change for the environment within their country or internationally.
- Inspiration and Action Award: This award category recognizes individuals or organizations who have taken bold environmental action in urging and creating decisive positive change on behalf of the planet and its inhabitants. Their leadership and example inspires and motivates others.
- Science and Innovation Award: This award category recognizes individuals or organizations whose groundbreaking work pushes the boundaries of human knowledge and technology, with positive impacts on the environment.
- Entrepreneurial Vision Award: This award category recognizes individuals or organizations that challenge the status quo. The laureates in this field demonstrate how environmental sustainability is compatible with financial profitability.
Eligibility
- Open to outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have had a positive impact on the environment.
Selection Criteria
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Champions are selected from over global 1,500 nominations. These are received from the public nomination process.
A team of UNEP staff and subject experts reviews and considers each nomination, creating a list of finalists. These are sent to a high level jury who select the laureates. In 2020, the jury consisted of five leaders of United Nations and other international organizations.
The criteria for selection are:
- Impact – Have the nominee’s actions resulted in profound environmental gains or demonstrated significant potential for replication and scaling?
- Novelty – Has the nominee done or achieved something new and innovative?
- Power of the story – How compelling and inspiring is the nominee’s story?
Nomination
All nominations must be received by 12 February 2021, accompanied by appropriate supporting materials.
For more information, visit UNEP.
