Guwahati: Dr. Purnima Devi Barman of Assam was given the UN Environment Champions of the Earth Award in 2022 for her work protecting the greater adjutant which is one of the rarest storks in the world. A conservationist, an organisation, an economist, a women’s rights activist and a wildlife biologist were recognised for their transformative actions to prevent, halt and reverse ecological degradation on Tuesday by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Wildlife biologist Dr. Purnima Devi Barman (India), who won the Entrepreneurial Vision award, is in charge of the “Hargila Army,” an all-female grassroots conservation organisation working to save the Greater Adjutant Stork from extinction. The women design and market textiles featuring bird patterns, contributing to the conservation of the species and securing their own financial security.
The annual Champions of the Earth award has recognised trailblazers at the forefront of initiatives to safeguard our natural environment since it was established in 2005. It is the highest environmental honour given by the UN. The award has honoured 111 laureates thus far, including 26 global leaders, 69 individuals and 16 organizations. A record 2,200 nominations from all over the world were submitted this year.
“Healthy, functional ecosystems are critical to preventing the climate emergency and loss of biodiversity from causing irreversible damage to our planet. This year’s Champions of the Earth give us hope that our relationship with nature can be repaired,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP
“This year’s Champions demonstrate how reviving ecosystems and supporting nature’s remarkable capacity for regeneration is everyone’s job: governments, the private sector, scientists, communities, NGOs and individuals.”
The prizes this year highlight initiatives made worldwide to prevent,halt, and reverse ecosystem deterioration in the wake of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).
Ecosystems are under severe assault on every continent and in every ocean. The size of Portugal’s worth of forest cover disappears from the world every year.With 11 million tonnes of plastic alone entering marine habitats every year, oceans are overfished and contaminated. Due to the destruction or pollution of their habitats, one million species are in danger of going extinct.
Restoring ecosystems is crucial for limiting global warming to 2°C and promoting economic and social adaptation to climate change. Additionally, it is essential for the fight against hunger because agroforestry restoration alone has the capacity to improve 1.3 billion people’s access to food. The risk of extinction for species could be reduced by 60% by restoring just 15% of converted lands. Only if everyone joins the #GenerationRestoration movement will ecosystem restoration be successful.