21 June 2019, Noumea, New Caledonia – The call is out now for nominations of our Pacific island environment champions to be celebrated through the 2nd Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Awards (PIELA).
Launched at the same time as the countdown to the 10th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas, the Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Awards is the opportunity to pay tribute to, and commemorate the hard work of our environmental champions as they strive for a strong resilient environment.
The awards call for nominees who have shown leadership in one of four different areas of: Biodiversity and ecosystem protection; Environmental governance; Climate change adaptation and resilience; as well as Waste management and pollution control.
In all there are seven categories to the Awards. These are: Excellence in National Leadership in Environmental Sustainability and Conservation, in Community Leadership in Environmental Sustainability and Conservation, in Leadership and Innovation in Environmental Media, and in Youth Leadership in Environmental Sustainability and Conservation. There is also a Champion of the Pacific Environment Award and the Lifetime Achievement for Excellence in Pacific Environmental Leadership Award.
The awards will be presented at the 10th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas held in Noumea, New Caledonia from 20 – 24 April, 2020.
“We are very pleased to be able to launch these awards and focus on the good work that is undertaken in our Pacific islands region by our Pacific people and communities. This is a time to celebrate their hard work and efforts to build a more resilient Pacific environment for us all,” said Mr Kosi Latu, Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
“We encourage you to nominate as many champions as possible, this is our opportunity to shine a beacon upon their good work and the positive impact they are making.”
The inaugural Pacific Environment Leadership Awards were held in Suva, Fiji in 2013 during the 9th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas. The winners of the inaugural awards were:
Mr. Ian Karika of the Cook Islands won the award for Excellence in National Leadership in Environmental Sustainability and Conservation.
Manuai Matawai of Papua New Guinea received the Ratu Aisea Katonivere Award for Excellence in Community Leadership in Environmental Sustainability and Conservation in the Individual Category
The Nguna-Pele Marine and Land Protected Area Network of Vanuatu received the Ratu Aisea Katonivere Award for Excellence in Community Leadership in Environmental Sustainability and Conservation in the Group Category
Mr. Manuai Matawai, Papua-New Guinea won the Individual Category of the Ratu Aisea Katonivere Award for Excellence in Community Leadership in Environmental Sustainability and Conservation
The Nguna-Pele Marine and Land Protected Area Network, Vanuatu were awarded for the Community/Group Category of the Ratu Aisea Katonivere Award for
Excellence in Community Leadership in Environmental Sustainability.
His Excellency President Tommy Remengesau, Jr – Republic of Palau won the Pacific Champion Award. Accepting the award on President Remengasau's behalf was the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism, the Honorable Umiich Sengebau.
Ms. Audrey Newman of Hawai'i, Professor Randy Thaman of Fiji and Dr Aalbersberg of Fiji were recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award
Should you wish to learn more about the 2nd Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Awards, or would like to nominate champions please visit www.pacificnatureconference.com or email [email protected]