THE UNITED Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced the recipients of the 2024 Champions of the Earth award, in recognition of their “outstanding leadership, brave actions and sustainable solutions to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification”.

The annual award is the UN’s highest environmental honour and recognises trailblazers who are at the forefront of efforts to protect people and planet. Since 2005, some 122 laureates for outstanding and inspirational environmental leadership.

“Almost 40 per cent of the world’s land is already degraded, desertification is on the rise and devastating droughts are becoming more regular. The good news is that solutions already exist today, and around the world, extraordinary individuals and organisations are demonstrating that it is possible to defend and heal our planet,” said UNEP boss, Inger Andersen in a release from UNEP dated December 10.

“The efforts of the 2024 Champions of the Earth stand tall as a reminder that the fight to protect our land, our rivers and our oceans is a fight we can win. With the right policies, scientific breakthroughs, system reforms, activism, as well as the vital leadership and wisdom of Indigenous Peoples, we can restore our ecosystems,” she added.

This year’s champions are:

• Sonia Guajajara, Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples who has been honoured in the Policy Leadership category;

• Amy Bowers Cordalis, an Indigenous rights advocate, honoured in the Inspiration and Action category;

• Gabriel Paun, a Romanian environmental defender, honoured in the Inspiration and Action category;

• Lu Qi, a Chinese scientist honoured in the Science and Innovation category;

• Madhav Gadgil, an Indian ecologist honoured in the Lifetime Achievement category; and

• SEKEM, a sustainable agriculture initiative honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category.

UNEP’s Champions of the Earth honours individuals, groups and organisations whose actions have a transformative impact on the environment. The award is the UN’s highest environmental honour.