Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been named as one of the winners of the UN’s highest environmental accolades – Champion of the Earth in recognition of Bangladesh’s far-reaching initiatives to address climate change.
Announcing the award in the Policy Leadership category, a UNEP communication says Hasina’s government has placed confronting climate change challenges at the core of its development through a host of forward-looking policy initiatives and investments.
Through these initiatives ranging from climate change adaptation and mitigation measures to ecosystem preservation legislation, Bangladesh has proved that investing in climate change is conducive to achieving social and economic development.
UNEP said Bangladesh is the first developing country to prepare a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan and to set up its own Climate Change Trust Fund in 2009.
It has one of the world’s largest solar home energy systems covering covering over 10% of its off-grid population, and earmarks 6% of its annual budget for climate change adaptation.
Previous winners include National Geographic Society, South Africa’s Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit and Brazil’s cosmetic firm Natura.