Global Environment Leadership Award Winners

The Global Environment Leadership Award recognizes an individual, group, or organization in government, the private sector, or the non-government arena, for leadership of significant national or international actions

The past winners of the award are:

2003

Dr. Mostafa Tolba, Egypt - Because of his successful participation in the negotiations of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, Dr. Tolba is credited with formulating the prototype model for dealing with global environmental issues and the effective transfer of technology and funds to developing countries. He served as executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and founded the International Center for Environment and Development, a non-profit funding organization financing environment projects in developing countries.

2002

The joint winners of the award were:
Minister Xie Zhenhua, leader of China´s Environmental Protection Authority since 1993; and
Professor Jiang Zehui, president of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, a research institute for forest protection and sustainable management.

A special award was also given to Maurice Strong of Canada, a longtime champion of the environment.

2001

No award was given this year.

2000

The award was given to two individuals:

• Anil Agarwal, Director of the Centre for Science and Environment in India as well as environmental journalist and chair of the world's largest network of environmental organizations
• Denis Hayes, the man who initiated Earth Day in 1970 and has guided its growth into a worldwide event, which mobilized 500 million people in 182 countries in 2000.

1999

The Global Environment Leadership Award was jointly awarded to:

• Professor Bert Bolin, former chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Ambassador Bo Kjellén, former Swedish ambassador for the environment and chief climate change negotiator for nine years.

• Former Costa Rican president Jose Maria Figueres received the 1998 Global Environment Leadership Award for his efforts to phase out fossil fuels in Costa Rica by 2010 and for instituting the pioneering concept of payment for environmental benefits from forests, such as watershed services and greenhouse gas absorption.