Mia Mottley among ‘transformative changemakers’ to get Champion of the Earth award

Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley has been named among those to receive the Champion of the Earth Award, the United Nations’ highest environmental award.

Mottley becomes the second Caribbean leader to receive the award after Guyana’s Bharrat Jagdeo received the award in 2010.

Mottley is this year honoured in the Policy Leadership category for her powerful voice for a sustainable world from the global south, consistently raises the alarm about the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States due to the climate emergency.

“The Prime Minister is a driving force for climate action across the Latin American and the Caribbean region – the first to agree on the Action Plan for the UN

Decade of Ecosystem Restoration,” the United Nations Envionment Programme (UNEP) said in announcing this year’s awardees.

“Under her leadership, Barbados has adopted ambitious renewable energy targets, committing to a fossil-fuel free electricity sector and transport by 2030. At the same time, Barbados is implementing numerous conservation and restoration projects, from forests, through cities, to the coastline and the ocean. She also co-chairs the One Health Global Leaders’ Group on Antimicrobial Resistance,” UNEP stated.

Since its inception in 2005, the annual Champions of the Earth award has been awarded to some of the world’s most dynamic environmental leaders.

So far, it has been awarded to 101 laureates, including 25 world leaders, 62 individuals and 14 organizations.

Other 2021 awardees include, SeaWomen of Melanesia, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, and Maria Kolesnikova.