Nomination (No person may nominate himself/ herself or his/ her organization)
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) invites you to nominate individuals between the ages of 10 and 21 or young people’s groups who, in your opinion, merit consideration for the Global 500 Youth Environment Award. Nomination forms and selection criteria follow.
Complete and return the form to UNEP before the 31 December 2001 deadline, along with a 250-word summary describing the nominee’s environmental achievements as well as any updated literature, press stories and two references other than that of the nominator.
History
UNEP believes that young people are important partners and allies in raising environmental partners and triggering environmental action. It is by creating awareness and encouraging young action today that we can hope to promote conservation and prevent future environmental destruction.
UNEP launched its Global 500 Youth Environment Award during the World Environment Day celebrations held during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. The creation of this Award coincided with UNEP’s 20th Anniversary and was meant to recognize the contribution made by young people who have distinguished themselves in the field of environmental protection.
This award also keeps alive the spirit of the International Youth Year (1985) when UNEP’s environmental agenda for youth was established.
Young people, who make up nearly one third of the world’s population, need a voice in determining their own future. Chapter 25 of Agenda 21 highlights the fact that youth and children should not be passive. They will, in the next century, shoulder the burden of decisions taken by today’s leaders.
Since 1993, the first year of the Award, 40 individuals and organizations have received the Global 500 Award in the youth category:
9 in 9 countries in 1993
6 in 6 countries in 1994
7 in 4 countries in 1995
4 in 4 countries in 1996
4 in 4 countries in 1997
6 in 6 countries in 1998
4 in 4 countries in 1999
3 in 3 countries in 2000
6 in 6 countries in 2001
Amongst the laureates who have received the Award are: Omar Castillo of Mexico; Kids for Coral, from the island of Guam; Zulekha Ali, a committed young journalist from Pakistan; Aika Tsubota, a Japanese cartoonist; the Canadian advocate Severn Cullis-Suzuki and Kruti Parekh a young magician from India.
Selection Criteria
Nominations are invited of individuals and organizations whose achievements have:
Areas of Activity and Accomplishments
The Global 500 Youth Environment Awards made in the following areas:
1. Energy efficiency
2. Renewable energy
3. Transportation efficiency
4. Air pollution reduction
5. Freshwater protection
6. Marine conservation (ocean and coastal areas)
7. Forest protection
8. Environmental beautification
9. Soil conservation
10. Fauna and flora conservation
11. Waste reduction
12. Recycling
13. Community clean-up
14. Community environmental education
15. Institutional environmental education
16. Public awareness (media, information and the arts)
17. Environmental health and sanitation
18. Other (please specify)
In addition to recognizing and honouring achievements in these areas, UNEP invites the Global 500 Youth Environment Award recipients to further promote environmental protection. The Global 500 Youth Environment Award laureates become members of a growing global network of allies assisting UNEP in its responsibilities of caring for our planet.
