Award winners announced on Eve of Governing
Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum
Nairobi, 1 February 2007 - - Seven leaders whose achievements
range from chemical safety, sustainable waste management
and the greening of sporting events to the conservation
of deserts, rainforests and the global climate are to be
honoured as Champions of the Earth 2007, the UN Environment
Programme (UNEP) announced today.
The winners, who will be presented with their awards at
a special ceremony in Singapore on 19 April, were named
as:
• His Excellency Mr. Cherif Rahmani for advancing environmental
law in Algeria and for addressing the issue of desertification;
• Elisea ‘Bebet’ Gillera Gozun for pushing forward the
environmental agenda in her native Philippines by winning
the trust of business leaders, non-governmental organizations
and political decision-makers alike;
• Viveka Bohn of Sweden for playing a prominent role in
multilateral negotiations and her leadership in global efforts
to ensure chemical safety;
• Her Excellency Ms. Marina Silva of Brazil for her tireless
fight to protect the Amazon rainforest while taking into
account the perspectives of people who use the resources
in their daily lives;
• Al Gore of the United States for making environmental
protection a pillar of his public service and for educating
the world on the dangers posed by rising greenhouse gas
emissions;
• His Royal Highness Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan
for his belief in transboundary collaboration to protect
the environment and for addressing environmental issues
in a holistic manner;
• Jacques Rogge and the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) for advancing the sport and environment agenda by
providing greater resources to sustainable development and
for introducing stringent environmental requirements for
cities bidding to host Olympic Games.
News of the winners comes in advance of UNEP’s annual gathering
of environment ministers taking place next week at the organization’s
headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The risks and opportunities
of globalization, in relation to environmental issues, will
be high on the agenda of the conference.
Achim Steiner, UN Under Secretary General and UNEP Executive
Director, said:”Steering globalization onto a more intelligent
and sustainable trajectory requires the commitment of governments,
the private sector, local authorities and civil society—but
it also needs individuals capable of catalizing change,
empowering others and inspiring action”.
“The men and women we are recognizing today are indeed
role models who have committed themselves to realizing a
more just, equitable and sustainable world. Proof, if proof
is needed, that globalization can be sustainably managed
if we harness the intelligence, energy and vision so self
evident in these Champions of the Earth 2007,” he added.
The awards, presented for the third time, recognize prominent
and inspirational environmental leaders from each region
of the world. Through leadership, vision and creativity,
each Champion has made an impact at the policy level.
The winners will be honoured at a gala event hosted by
UNEP, the Singapore Ministry of the Environment and Water
Resources (MEWR) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB),
with the support of various sponsors and partners including
Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings (APRIL).
On 19 and 20 April 2007, UNEP and the United Nations Global
Compact will co-host the inaugural “Global Business Summit
for the Environment” (B4E) in Singapore.
Linked with the UNEP Champions of the Earth award event,
the Summit will seek to showcase visionary leadership in
corporate environmental responsibility.
AFRICA
H. E. Mr. Cherif Rahmani – Algeria
H. E. Mr. Cherif Rahmani’s career has been guided by a
profound commitment to the protection of our planet. As
a Minister, he has worked tirelessly to greatly advance
environmental law in Algeria. Under his guidance, new specialized
institutions have been established with the aim of creating
and implementing an environmental policy, which is at the
service of sustainable development.
He has also established model financial and economic instruments
aimed at promoting a tax system in Algeria based on international
criteria that adhere to the polluter pays principle. He
has brought a fundamental contribution to the implementation
of the National Action Plan for Environment and Sustainable
Development. This approach, adopted by the Algerian Government,
is based on four major objectives: improving the health
and quality of life; improving the productivity of natural
capital; reducing economic losses and improving competitiveness;
and improving the global environment (e.g. reducing greenhouse
gases and impacts of climate change).
Mr. Rahmani has made significant contributions in his capacity
as President of the Foundation ‘Deserts du Monde’ and as
Honorary Spokesperson of the United Nations International
Year of Deserts and Desertification. For example, the creation
of the Institute of Deserts and the Museum of Deserts, the
rehabilitation of Fort de Tinerkouk, the International Conference
on the Biodiversity of Deserts (Brazil), the International
Conference on Women and Desertification (Italy), the Second
International Symposium on Desertification and Migration
(Spain) and the International Scientific Conference on Deserts
and Desertification (Tunisia), as well as the organization
of the Third Festival of Cultures and Civilizations of the
People of the Deserts.
Contact: Ms. Lylia Harchaoui, E-mail: l.harchaoui@yahoo.fr;
Mobile: 00.213(0)71.85.62.87; Tel/fax: 00.213(0)21.43.28.32;
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Elisea “Bebet” Gillera Gozun – Philippines
Mrs. Elisea “Bebet” Gillera Gozun’s commitment to public
service and her passion for the environment has given her
the energy to overcome obstacles, persuade disbelievers
and shape alliances.
Her leadership in World Bank projects resulted in tangible
results such as the introduction of pollution charges for
industrial effluents in the Philippines, the establishment
of the ECOWATCH programme – an innovative public disclosure
programme of environmental performance of priority industries
– and the "Brown Fund"- the first tripartite funding
source for local urban environmental initiatives, jointly
managed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business
and government.
Mrs. Gozun recognized that without the local communities,
the private sector and local governments on board led by
mayors, no national policy could succeed. She has pushed
for the introduction of community-based waste recovery,
recycling and reuse in the Philippines and has also worked
for the establishment of materials recovery facilities and
on upgrading the quality and capacity of landfills for the
residual wastes. To implement the pilot schemes in environmental
management, she has attracted international funding and
mobilized local resources. As a result, today there is a
wide network of participating communities, with dramatically
improved health situations due to better solid waste management.
Her personal integrity, combined with a keen pragmatic
sense for what is politically feasible to constitute a viable
solution, have won her the trust of business leaders, NGOs
and political decision-makers alike.
Contact: Ms. Elisea “Bebet” Gillera Gozun, E-mail: bggozun@hotmail.com;
Mobile: 63-917 530 5854; Tel: (632) 941-7233,
EUROPE
Viveka Bohn – Sweden
Ms. Viveka Bohn has played a prominent role in multilateral
negotiations, including environmental treaties such as the
Convention on Biological Diversity and the Stockholm Convention
on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Her leadership
has been especially evident in global efforts to ensure
chemical safety, which has been increasingly recognized
as a key crosscutting issue in the pursuit of sustainable
development.
She is also being recognized for her work on chemicals
with the adoption of the Strategic Approach to International
Chemicals Management (SAICM) by the international community.
This important new global policy framework will catalyse
and guide efforts to achieve the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
goal of sound management of chemicals by 2020. As President
of the Preparatory Committee for the Development of the
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management,
she was central to this body’s evolution and was instrumental
in its finalization at the International Conference on Chemicals
Management (ICCM) in Dubai in February 2006.
As head of the Swedish project secretariat for the World
Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, Ms. Bohn
worked tirelessly on issues related to sustainable consumption
and production, and the fruits of her labour were recognized
when she was elected co-chair of the Marrakech process.
Contact: Mr Per Thege, E-mail: per.thege@environment.ministry.se;
Mobile: + 46 (0)70 605 60 36
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
H. E. Ms. Marina Silva – Brazil
H. E. Ms. Marina Silva has been a tireless fighter for
the protection of the Amazon rainforest. Her work has championed
conservation while taking into account the perspectives
of people who use the resources in their daily lives. In
this respect, she is a champion of the objectives of the
Convention on Biological Diversity, which promotes conservation,
sustainable use and equitable sharing of the benefits of
biodiversity.
Ms. Silva has recognised that, in protecting the environment,
building a coalition of support demands adherence to a core
set of values. Her belief that the success of the fight
to save life on Earth demands that principles are at the
forefront of our efforts has made her a deserving recipient
of the 2007 Champions of the Earth award.
As a member of Brazil’s senate, she has successfully legislated
rainforest preservation, defended her people against poverty
and protected their way of life. As the Brazilian Minister
of the Environment since 2003, her contribution to preserving
the biologically diverse, complex and rich Brazilian Amazon
is remarkable, with deforestation estimated to have decreased
by more than 50 per cent in the last two years – a result
undoubtedly linked to a new government process implemented
by her and fundamentally based on the idea of a cross-cutting
approach to environmental issues in all governmental and
non-governmental sectors.
Contact: Mr. Fernando Lyrio, E-mail: fernando.lyrio@mma.gov.br;
Tel: (55-61) 4009 1416/1003
NORTH AMERICA
Al Gore – United States of America
During Al Gore’s 16-year career in the U.S. Congress and
his eight-year term as Vice-President, he has made protecting
the environment a pillar of his public service. He led Congressional
efforts to clean up toxic dumps leading to the formation
of the Superfund and held the first hearing on global climate
change. In conjunction with his numerous trips around the
world to visit those habitats most threatened by human intervention
and climate change, he worked to educate fellow members
of Congress and the American public on the dangers posed
by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations as well
political inaction in the face of a growing environmental
crisis.
Mr. Gore and President William Clinton expended great efforts
to protect habitat across the United States and expand terrestrial
and aquatic national parks and wildlife refuges. He also
helped in the negotiating and drafting of the Kyoto Protocol
aimed at cutting emissions of greenhouse gases.
Since the conclusion of his public service he has continued
his committed efforts on behalf of the environment. His
critically-acclaimed documentary An Inconvenient Truth –
based on his presentation on climate change and which he
has shown more than 1,000 times across the world – has become
the third-highest grossing documentary in the history of
the United States. Mr. Gore continues to incorporate his
passion for the environment into his professional career,
where he serves as Chairman of an investment management
firm whose strategy incorporates sustainability in its investment
research.
Throughout his 30-year career, as a politician, author,
statesman and entrepreneur, he has made, and continues to
make, critical contributions to the protection of the environment.
Contact: Ms. Stacy Schumaker, E-mail: stacy@carthagegroup.com
WEST ASIA
HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal - Jordan
To sustain natural resources for future generations, HRH
Prince El Hassan Bin Talal has addressed environmental issues
in a holistic manner. In particular, his belief in transboundary
collaboration to protect the environment merits global recognition.
HRH has initiated, founded and has been actively involved
in a number of Jordanian and international environmental
institutions. As President of Jordan’s Higher Council for
Science and Technology (HCST), he has emphasized the need
for relevant and improved environmental policies, strategies
and programmes. HRH has ensured that HCST focuses on enhancing
the quality of life of the inhabitants of dryland areas,
empowering them to improve their standard of living using
available resources without having to change their traditional
way of life.
Also under his leadership, the Royal Scientific Society
has been active in the field of environmental management
and protection, specifically water quality management. H.
R. H. has supported global partnerships aimed at ensuring
sustainable energy use, such as the Trans-Mediterranean
Renewable Energy Cooperation, an organization, which has
had a measurable impact on sustainable development and which
has pointed the way to clean and equitable energy production
by sharing capital and know-how.
Contact: Mr. Habib El-Habr, Director of UNEP Regional Office
for West Asia; E-mail: habib.elhabr@unep.org.bh; Tel: (973-17)
812 755
UNEP SPECIAL PRIZE
Jacques Rogge and the International Olympic Committee
As President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC),
Mr. Jacques Rogge has played an important role in the development
of the sport and environment agenda. The changes he has
brought to the organization have reinforced the importance
of the environment in the work of the Olympic Movement.
Mr. Rogge has perpetuated a policy that seeks to provide
greater resources to sustainable development in and through
sport at national, regional and international levels, and
particularly at the Olympic Games. This policy enshrined
in The Olympic Charter is an important development as it
strives to promote Olympic Games which respect the environment
and meet the standards of sustainable development. Furthermore,
it aims to promote awareness among and educate the members
of the Olympic family and sports practitioners in general
of the importance of a healthy environment for sustainable
development.
Since taking the helm of the IOC in July 2001, Mr. Rogge
has introduced stringent environmental requirements for
cities bidding to host Olympic Games. As a result of these
measures, no bid is considered without a comprehensive environmental
programme. He has played an active and personal role in
encouraging organizers of Olympic Games (Turin 2006 and
Beijing 2008 in particular) to fulfil their environmental
pledges and commitments. Under his Presidency, the Torino
Games were widely hailed as the greenest games and considered
innovative and a model for future “green” games.
In addition, Mr. Rogge has endorsed the continuation of
the IOC biennial World Conference for Sport and Environment
and regional seminars for sport and environment. Under his
leadership, the World Conference has become one of the most
recognizable events on sport and the environment and continues
to draw stakeholders from all sectors of the sporting world
to discuss their role and contributions to sustainable development.
Contact: Mrs. Emmanuelle Moreau, Media Relations Manager
or Ms. Sandrine Chabert, Media Relations Coordinator, E-mail:
pressoffice@olympic.org; Tel: +41-216 216 111; Fax: +41-216
216 356
Additional Notes to Editors
Background on the Champions of the Earth prize and all
the laureates, including biographies and photographs, is
available from http://www.unep.org/champions/ or from UNEP
DCPI at championsoftheearth@unep.org.
The Champions of the Earth award, established in 2004,
is presented by UNEP each year to outstanding environmental
achievers and leaders.
No monetary reward is attached to the prize. Each laureate
receives a trophy made of recycled metal especially designed
by the Kenyan sculptor Kioko. The trophy represents the
fundamental elements for life on Earth – sun, air, land
and water.
UNEP invites nominations from individuals who have made
a significant and recognized contribution globally, regionally
and beyond, to the protection and sustainable management
of the Earth’s environment and natural resources. Candidates
are judged by a senior UNEP panel with input from UNEP’s
regional offices.
UNEP’s Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment
Forum runs from 5 February until 9 February 2007 www.unep.org
