• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the 2023 Champions of the Earth for their innovative solutions and transformative action to tackle plastic pollution.

• Since its inception in 2005, the annual Champions of the Earth award has been given to trailblazers at the forefront of efforts to protect people and planet. 

• It is the UN’s highest environmental honour. 

• Including this year’s five Champions, the award has recognised 116 laureates — 27 world leaders, 70 individuals and 19 organisations. 

Plastic menace

• Plastic has transformed everyday life and produced many benefits to society. But humanity produces around 430 million tonnes of plastic every year, two-thirds of which quickly becomes waste. The addiction to short-lived plastics has created what experts call an environmental nightmare.

• Every year, up to 23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. 

• By 2040, carbon emissions associated with the production, use and disposal of conventional fossil fuel-based plastics could account for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions under the most ambitious targets of the Paris climate change agreement. Chemicals in plastic can also cause health problems in humans.

• To beat plastic pollution, experts say humanity must reduce and eliminate unnecessary and problematic plastics, find environmentally sound alternatives to the material, develop innovative models for re-using plastics and adopt what is known as a life-cycle approach to plastic pollution.

UNEP’s 2023 Champions of the Earth are:

i) Mayor Josefina Belmonte of Quezon City, Philippines, honoured in the Policy Leadership category, is driving environmental and social action through a raft of policies to combat the climate crisis, end plastic pollution and green the urban enclave. 

ii) Ellen MacArthur Foundation (United Kingdom), honoured in the Inspiration and Action category, has played a leading role in mainstreaming a lifecycle approach, including for plastics. 

iii) Blue Circle (China), honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category, uses blockchain technology and the internet of things to track and monitor the full lifecycle of plastic pollution – from collection to regeneration, re-manufacturing and resale. It has collected over 10,700 tonnes of marine debris, making it China’s largest marine plastic waste programme.

iv) Jose Manuel Moller (Chile), also honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category, is the founder of Algramo, a social enterprise dedicated to providing refill services that reduce plastic pollution and lower the costs of everyday essentials. 

v) Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (South Africa), honoured in the Science and Innovation category, uses cutting-edge technology and multidisciplinary research to develop innovations to tackle plastic pollution and other issues. 

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global authority on the environment. It unites 193 Member States in an effort to find solutions to climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste, collectively known as the triple planetary crisis.

• UNEP was founded in 1972. It was conceived to monitor the state of the environment and coordinate responses to the world’s greatest environmental challenges.

• UNEP is part of the UN Secretariat and responds to the UN General Assembly.

• Its headquarters is situated in Nairobi, Kenya.

• UNEP’s primary goal is to catalyze action on the environment and promote solutions to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

• Through scientific studies, policy support, inter-governmental coordination and public advocacy, UNEP helps humanity to foster climate stability, live in harmony with nature and forge a pollution-free future, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• In the five decades since its founding, UNEP’s convening power, rigorous scientific research and public advocacy have helped to boldly advance the global environmental agenda. In particular, UNEP has led efforts to counter climate change, protect endangered species, end deforestation, repair the hole in the ozone layer and phase out toxic leaded fuels.

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