• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced a city mayor, a non-profit foundation, a social enterprise, a government initiative and a research council as its 2023 Champions of the Earth.
• The winners include-

Winner	Category	Initiative
Josefina Belmonte Belmonte, mayor of Quezon City in the Philippines	Policy Leadership	includes bans on single-use plastics, a trade-in programme for plastic pollution, refill stations for everyday essentials and advocacy for strong global policymaking on plastics
UK-based Ellen MacArthur Foundation	Inspiration and Action	mainstreaming a lifecycle approach for plastics
China’s Blue Circle	Entrepreneurial Vision	China’s largest marine plastic waste programme using blockchain technology and the internet of things to track and monitor the full lifecycle of plastic pollution
José Manuel Moller of Chile	Entrepreneurial Vision	founder of Algramo, a social enterprise dedicated to providing refill services that reduce plastic pollution
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of South Africa	Science and Innovation	uses cutting-edge technology and multidisciplinary research to develop innovations to tackle plastic pollution

 

PLASTIC POLLUTION MENACE

• Humanity produces around 430 million tonnes of plastic every year, two-thirds of which quickly becomes waste.
• 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.

ABOUT THE AWARD

• The annual Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour.
• It has recognised 116 laureates: 27 world leaders, 70 individuals and 19 organisations since its inception in 2005.