UN Environment Programme names Carlo Petrini Champion of the Earth

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recognized Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini’s outstanding contribution in the field of the environment and sustainable development by naming him one of the eight winners of the Champions of the Earth award. More information on Slow Food’s international projects and campaigns can be viewed here: http://www.slowfoodfoundation.com/

The award is the UN’s flagship environment award that recognizes outstanding visionaries and leaders in the fields of policy, science and civil society action. Ms. Martha Isabel Ruiz Corzo, Director of Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda, Central Mexico, was also named Champion of the Earth for “Inspiration and Action”. Besides Petrini, there was one other winner from Europe, namely the European Commissioner for the Environment, Janez Potoènik, who was recognized for his work in advocating a shift from the current global model of intensive resource consumption, including setting 2020 targets for the European Union to halve food waste. Potoènik received the Price for “Policy Leadership” along with Izabella Teixeira, Minister of Environment in Brazil, and Kapparov Nurlan Zhambulovich, Minister for Environmental Protection of Kazakhstan. More information on these and the other winners is available here: http://www.unep.org/champions/.