New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be honoured with United Nations’ highest environmental award- UNEP Champions of the Earth, along with French President Emmanuel Macron. PM Modi will be awarded at the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra on Wednesday. The award was announced on September 26, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York, during its 73rd session.
The United Nations has recognised PM Modi for his work in promoting and championing the cause of solar energy and for his vow to eliminate single-use plastic from India by 2022. “UN Environment is recognising Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his bold environmental leadership on the global stage. Under Modi’s leadership, India pledged to eliminate all single-use plastics in the country by 2022. Prime Minister Modi also supports and champions the International Solar Alliance, a global partnership to scale up solar energy,” UN’s citation for the award read.
The UNEP Champions of the Earth award is given to leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have resulted in a significant positive impact on the environment.
According to the UNEP website, “The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental recognition celebrating exceptional figures from the public and private sectors and from civil society, whose actions have had a transformative positive impact on the environment… Since being founded thirteen years ago, the awards have recognized 84 laureates – ranging from leaders of nations to grassroots activists – in the categories of policy, science, business and civil society.”
According to the UNEP release, the award has been given to- Afroz Shah, who led the world’s largest beach cleanup (2016), Rwandan President Paul Kagame (2016), former US Vice-President Al Gore (2007), Ocean Cleanup CEO Boyan Slat (2014), scientist-explorer Bertrand Piccard, and developer of Google Earth Brian McClendon (2013).
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