Nominations for the UNEP 2020 Champions of the Earth Award are open. Moreover, it is the UN’s highest environmental honor that aims to recognize the contribution of outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have had a positive impact on the environment. According to Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, through this program, the United Nations Environment Program seeks to recognize the immense contributions of people from all walks of life to supporting a healthy planet.

Since its launch, UNEP has presented the Champions of the Earth award to 93 laureates, ranging from world leaders to environmental defenders and technology inventors. They include 22 world leaders, 57 individuals, and 14 groups or organizations.

Categories

• Policy leadership
• Inspiration and action
• Entrepreneurial vision
• Science and innovation

Selection Process

Every year, UNEP selects champion from hundreds of nominees globally, submitted during a public nominating process. Once submitted, a team of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) staff research and prepare detailed profiles of each candidate, their achievements and qualifications. The profiles are reviewed by a broader group of UNEP experts before submission to a jury who selects the laureates. In 2019, the jury consisted of five leaders of the United Nations and also other international organizations.

Selection Criteria 

Moreover, nominees will be judged on the basis of the following features

• 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?

About the UNEP

UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. Moreover, it provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

The last day to submit a nomination for UNEP Champions of the Earth Awards 2020 is the 20th of March, 2020.

NOMINATE HERE