Discover the amazing stories of these heroes for our planet. We hope they inspire you to make a difference for our shared home!
Nina Gualinga is the recipient of this year's WWF International President's Youth Award. An indigenous leader of the Kichwa community of Sarayaku in the Ecuadorian Amazon, she has been advocating for climate justice and indigenous rights since she was eight, and this award recognises her relentless efforts to protect nature and communities in the Amazon.
Nina, 24, has spent most of her childhood and adult years advocating for better, stronger protection of the Ecuadorian Amazon and the wildlife and people who depend on it. At 18, she represented Sarayaku youth at the final hearing before the Inter-American Court on Human Rights in Costa Rica, winning a landmark case against the Ecuadorian government for violating Sarayaku rights and territory for oil drilling. Today, she continues to represent the community and calls for indigenous rights and a fossil fuel free economy at various national and international fora, including the historic Paris Climate summit.
Madison Pearl Edwards from Belize received special recognition for her contributions towards conserving the environment. At age 12, Madison has been advocating for the protection of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage site for the past three years.
Through her blog and social media, Madison has helped mobilise public support against offshore oil exploration in Belize, which resulted in the adoption of the permanent moratorium on all extractive activities in Belize waters in December 2017. The move not only made Belize one of only three countries in the world with such legislation, but is also expected to help take the Belize Barrier Reef World Heritage site one step closer to being removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Wherever you are, our voices and actions can create meaningful impact when we unite for our planet, our only home. Building a sustainable future for all starts with taking action on nature loss and climate change today. Together, anything is possible :)
