Deadline: April 14, 2023
Nominations are invited for the UNEP Champions of the Earth Award 2023. This year, UNEP seeks nomination of individuals, organisations and governments developing and implementing innovative and sustainable solutions and policies to eliminate plastic pollution.
Following a historic UN Environment Assembly resolution in 2022 to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment with the ambition to complete the negotiations by end of 2024, the year 2023 is critical to ensuring the world comes together to end the scourge of plastic pollution. This year’s World Environment Day, hosted by Cote d’Ivoire, will also focus on efforts to #BeatPlasticPollution.
The challenge of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss and pollution and waste is not insurmountable. People around the world are stepping forward every day to innovate and implement ways to support nature’s extraordinary capacity for renewal. The Champions of the Earth help lead that push. They remind us that environmental sustainability is key to achieving sustainable development. Since the award’s inception in 2005, a total of 111 laureates have been honoured as Champions of the Earth: 26 world leaders, 69 individuals and 16 organizations.
Categories
Every year, individuals, groups and organisations who have made outstanding contributions to the protection and restoration of the environment are recognized in four categories:
- Policy leadership
- Inspiration and action
- Entrepreneurial vision
- Science and innovation
Eligibility
- Nominations are open to everyone.
- Individuals, government entities, groups and organisation may be nominated under the categories of Policy Leadership, Inspiration and Action, Entrepreneurial Vision, and Science and Innovation.
Selection Criteria
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
Nominations are open from 14 March to 14 April 2023 to everyone; the Champions of the Earth will be announced in late 2023.
For more information, visit UNEP Champions of the Earth Award.
