Last Updated on March 24, 2022
Nominations are open for the UN Environment Program (UNEP) Champions of the Earth Award 2022 – the UN’s highest environmental honour – to recognize outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector for their transformative impact on the environment.
To highlight the importance of ecosystem restoration, the 2022 call especially encourages the nomination of people and organisations who have contributed to preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. Almost one year since the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, there has never been a more urgent need to revive damaged ecosystems than now. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet – and its people.
Since its inauguration in 2005, the award has shone a spotlight on leaders who have dedicated their lives to working for a healthier, more just and more sustainable planet. A total of 106 laureates, ranging from heads of state and community activists to captains of industry and pioneering scientists, have been honoured as Champions of the Earth.
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
The UN Environment Program (UNEP) Champions are selected from nominations received from across the worlds. A team of UNEP staff and subject experts review and consider each nomination, creating a list of finalists.
For more information, visit UNEP.
Deadline: April 11, 2022