Indian Purnima Devi Barman receives the UN's top Environmental Honour in the 2022 Competition, Champions of the Earth

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 24 November 2022

Purnima Devi Barman, a prominent environmentalist from Assam, has been named a 2022 "Champions of the Earth," the United Nations' highest environmental accolade.

According to the United Nations Environmental Program, animal biologist Barman shared the award with four other individuals from various nations for their revolutionary efforts to stop, prevent, and reverse environmental degradation.

Purnima Devi Barman of India won the Entrepreneurial Vision Category of the Champions of Earth Award for her work as the commander of the "Hargila Army."

When speaking about receiving the prize, Purnima Devi Barman said that it was an incredible honour and a dream come true.

As the best education starts at home on the mother's lap, she dedicated the prize to Mother Earth and all the moms on the earth.

Purnima Devi Barman's environmental protection work

An all-female grassroots conservationist organisation called the "Hargila (the Assamese name for the bird) Army" was founded by Purnima Devi Barman, a Green Oscar winner, to protect the Greatest Adjutant Stork from extinction.

The group's female members design and market textiles featuring bird patterns in an effort to increase public awareness of the species while also establishing their own financial independence.

The project's conservation emphasis is on maternity, and the Hargila Army celebrates baby showers both before and after the chicks hatch. According to Barman, all of the campaigners working to save the stork, which was on the verge of extinction, are mothers and housewives.

2022's Champions of the Earth

In addition to Purnima Devi Barman of India, the following individuals received the UNEP award:

1. Arceniel, an environmental company in Lebanon

2. Constantino (Tino) Aucca Chuta of Peru for developing a community-driven reforestation model

3. British scientist Sir Partha Dasgupta won in the category of science and innovation.

4. Cecile Bibian Ndjebet of Cameroon for championing the rights of African women to gain land tenure.

Champions of the Earth by UNEP

Groups, people, and organisations are recognised through UNEP's Champions of the Earth programme for their contributions to the environment. The Champions of the Earth award honours outstanding figures in business, public society, and government every year.

Conservationists, businesses, economists, women's rights activists, and wildlife biologists are recognised as Champions of the Earth 2022 for their transformative efforts to stop, slow down, and reverse ecological destruction.