Celebrating the 2023 Goldman Environmental Award Recipients: Their Achievements in Environmental Conservation
Here's a fresh take on the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize winners:
Get ready to meet the six badass environmental warriors who are shaking things up and making a real difference in 2023! The Goldman Environmental Prize honors grassroots activists from across the globe, and this year's winners are no exception. They are ordinary people with extraordinary resolve, taking on big corporations and protecting the planet we all call home.
Without further ado, let's dive into their stories:
The Global Gameshakers
Chilekwa Mumba - Africa
Chilekwa Mumba, our African wonder, took on Vedanta Resources, the parent company of a notorious copper mine in Zambia, and won. He was the first to hold a British company responsible for the environmental devastation caused by its overseas subsidiary operations. His legal victory set a powerful precedent, one that has since been applied to other major corporations like Shell.
Zafer Kizilkaya - Asia
Turning his attention to Turkey's Mediterranean coast, Zafer Kizilkaya expanded the country's marine protected areas. Working alongside local fishing cooperatives and the Turkish government, he added 135 square miles of no-trawling/no-purse-seine zones and an additional 27 square miles of no-fishing zones. This move helps mitigate the challenges posed by overfishing, illegal fishing, tourist development, and climate change.
Tero Mustonen - Europe
In Finland, Tero Mustonen leads the charge in restoring 86,000 acres of former industrial peat mining and forestry sites. Peatlands, rich in organic matter, are vital carbon sinks, making these projects crucial for the future of our planet.
Delima Silalahi - Islands & Island Nations
Indonesia's Delima Silalahi secured legal stewardship for 17,824 acres of tropical forest land for six Indigenous communities. Her efforts reclaimed territory from a pulp and paper company, helping these communities restore the forests and create valuable carbon sinks.
Diane Wilson - North America
Diane Wilson's courtroom victory in December 2019 was a major win for Texas' Gulf Coast and the US Clean Water Act. She secured a $50 million settlement against Formosa Plastics, the world's largest petrochemical company, for illegal toxic waste dumping. As part of the settlement, Formosa Plastics agreed to stop discharging waste and fund remediation of affected local wetlands, beaches, and waterways.
Alessandra Korap Munduruku - South & Central America
Brazil's Alessandra Korap Munduruku organized community efforts to halt mining development by British mining giant Anglo American in the Amazon rainforest. Her work protected an area of critical importance, safeguarding the world's largest rainforest and a major carbon sink from further mining and deforestation.
Each year, the Goldman Environmental Prize spotlights grassroots environmental heroes from the six most inhabited continental regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands & Island Nations, North America, and South & Central America.
Dig Deeper- Learn more about the incredible stories of these six winners here- Discover seven inspiring Indigenous women leaders fighting for their territories here- Meet eight conservation heroes working tirelessly to save our planet here
The scientific findings backed by Tero Mustonen's peatland restoration project in Finland contribute significantly to the field of environmental science, as peatlands are crucial carbon sinks for nature conservation. The health-and-wellness benefits of these restored sites extend beyond the environment, as they help in mitigating climate change.
The legal victory achieved by Delima Silalahi in securing stewardship for Indigenous communities' land in Indonesia not only boosts mental health among the local populations by preserving their ancestral homes but also adds valuable carbon sinks for climate-change combat.
Zafer Kizilkaya's efforts in expanding marine protected areas along Turkey's Mediterranean coast not only foster health-and-wellness through sustainable fishing practices but also bring science-based solutions to address challenges like overfishing, illegal fishing, tourist development, and climate change.
