UNEP announces recipients of 2024 Champions of Earth

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today announced recipients of the 2024 Champions of the Earth, honoured for their outstanding leadership, brave actions and sustainable solutions to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification, Report informs.

This year’s laureates include a minister of Indigenous Peoples, an environmental defender, a sustainable agriculture initiative, an Indigenous rights advocate, a scientist focused on afforestation and a pioneering ecologist.

The annual Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour, recognizes trailblazers at the forefront of efforts to protect people and planet. Since 2005, the award has recognized 122 laureates for outstanding and inspirational environmental leadership.

Among the six winners of the 2024 UNEP Champions of the Earth Award are Sonia Guajajara, Brazil's minister of indigenous peoples; Amy Bowers Cordalis, an Indigenous rights advocate from the United States; Gabriel Paun, a Romanian environmental defender; Lu Qi, a Chinese scientist; Madhav Gadgil, an Indian ecologist; and SEKEM, a sustainable agriculture initiative from Egypt.