On Wednesday, the Kochi International Airport and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were awarded the highest environmental honour for the UN which is called the ‘Champions of the Earth’. Additionally, four other change makers of the environment were also part of the ceremony.
The award was given to PM Narendra Modi on account of his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and the commitment to eliminate the consumption of single-use plastic by 2022 in India. The award winners have been recognised for a mixture of innovative, bold, and zealous efforts to handle some environmental hazards that needed priority solutions.
International Solar Alliance or ISA is basically an alliance signed between 121 countries that lie completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The alliance provides a platform to the solar rich countries where the global community, corporates, industry, and other stakeholders are free to contribute to achieve the common goals of increasing the use of solar energy and meet the energy requirements of the ISA member countries in a convenient, secure, and affordable manner.
Emmanuel Macron, the French President as well as Narendra Modi have been together acclaimed in the category of Policy Leadership for their flawless efforts and results. He also proposed new ideas and initiatives for the levels of cooperation on actions to be taken towards the environment that included Macron’s work on the Global Pact for the environment.
The Kochi International Airport received the award in the Entrepreneurial Vision category. The airport was also acknowledged for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy.
Other people to receive the award include activist Joan Carling, Food company Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. The company manufactures plant based substitutes for meat and dairy products.
The awards will be presented on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly during the Champions of the Earth Gala in New York that will be hosted by actor and environmental activist, Alec Baldwin along with Dia Mirza, the UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador.
Champions of the Earth is a 13-year-old award that honours global leaders from the government, private sector, and the civil society who have brought about positive changes in the environment.