United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Africa Regional Climate Change Programme Coordinator, Dr Richard Munang, last week in Abuja received the prestigious African Environmental Hero Award, conferred by the International Environmental Roundtable for Africa.
Awarded for his leadership on environmental policies across the continent, Munang who has been serving as UNEP’s Climate Change Coordinator for Africa since July 2013, has been a champion of protecting Africa’s environment to overcome the region’s social and economic challenges.
He has over time, demonstrated how climate action can improve food security, create jobs and boost economic growth.
“Richard Munang’s leadership on climate action as a way of addressing Africa’s socio-economic development priorities is a fresh way of looking at climate change on the continent. Africa cannot afford to act on climate change in separation from its development needs and objectives. By joining the two areas with his pioneering work, Dr Munang has become a true Africa Environmental Hero,” Convener of the Environmental Roundtable, Dr. Gregory Clem said.
While receiving the award which was presented by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, Munang reaffirmed his commitment to environmental sustainability.
“I can only accept this award in the context of the many of you who are committed to and actively participating in putting poverty on the run, and prosperity in the cockpit of each and every home in the 54 countries on our continent. I salute you.
“Your commitment to policy and action to unlock Africa’s potential in sustainable agriculture and clean energy will set the continent on track to make Africa the bread basket of the globe,” Munang said.