Western Ghats Crusader Madhav Gadgil Honoured UN's Top Environmental Award

Veteran ecologist Madhav Gadgil, renowned for his groundbreaking work in the Western Ghats, has been honoured with the prestigious 'Champion of the Earth' award for 2024 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in the Lifetime Achievement category. The award recognizes Gadgil's decades of dedication to environmental conservation, particularly his advocacy for the protection of the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.

At 82, Gadgil is celebrated for his landmark "Gadgil Report" in 2011, which recommended safeguarding 75% of the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot. Despite delays in implementing his recommendations, Gadgil continues to fight for the region's protection and remains hopeful about the future of environmental activism.

Gadgil joins five other global leaders, including Sonia Guajajara of Brazil and Amy Bowers Cordalis of the US, in receiving this prestigious award. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen highlighted that the efforts of these "Champions of the Earth" demonstrate that with the right leadership, ecosystem restoration is within reach. Gadgil expressed his satisfaction with the recognition and reaffirmed his commitment to preserving the environment for future generations.