Indian wildlife biologist gets UN highest environmental award

  • November 23, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Indian wildlife biologist gets UN highest environmental award

Subject :Environment

Context:

In news-

  • Indian wildlife biologist Dr Purnima Devi Barman is among the honourees of this year’s Champions of the Earth award, the U.N.’s highest environmental honour, accorded for their transformative action to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation.
  • Dr Barman has been honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category.

About Dr Purnima Devi Barman-

  • Dr Barman leads the “Hargila Army”, an all-female grassroots conservation movement dedicated to protecting the Greater Adjutant Stork from extinction.
  • Dr Barman is also the Senior Project Manager of the Avifauna Research and Conservation Division, Aaranyak.

“Hargila Army”

  • Consists of over 10,000 women.
  • They protect nesting sites, rehabilitate injured storks.

Champions of the Earth award-

  • Started in 2005, by the UNEP.
  • The annual award has been awarded to trailblazers at the forefront of efforts to protect our natural world.
  • It is the UN’s highest environmental honour.
  • This award programme is successor to UNEP’s Global 500 Roll of Honour.
  • The award is presented in five categories
  1. Lifetime Achievement,
  2. Policy Leadership,
  3. Entrepreneurial Vision,
  4. Action and Inspiration and
  5. Science & Innovation.
  • To date, the award has recognised 111 laureates:26 world leaders, 69 individuals and 16 organisations.
  • The other honourees include Arcenciel (Lebanon); Constantino (Tino) AuccaChutas (Peru); Sir Partha Dasgupta of the United Kingdom and Cecile BibianeNdjebet (Cameroon).
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with United Nation’s Champions of the Earth Award 2018. 

About Greater Adjutant Stork (Harjila in Assam)-

  • Scientific Name: Leptoptilosdubius
  • Genus:
    • The greater adjutant is a member of the stork family, Ciconiidae.
    • There are about 20 species in the family.
    • They are long-necked large birds.
  • Habitat:
    • Once found across South and Southeast Asia, the Greater Adjutant is one of the most threatened stork species in the world.
    • There are only three known breeding grounds – one in Cambodia and two in India (Assam and Bihar).
  • Threat:
    • The widespread destruction and degradation of the wetlands that this scavenger bird needs to forage (i.e. search for food) and the loss of its nesting trees, led to a decline.
  • Protection Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Endangered
    • Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule IV
  • Significance:
    • They are considered the mount of Vishnu, one of Hinduism’s prime deities.
    • Some worship the bird and call it “Garuda Maharaj” (Lord Garuda) or “Guru Garuda” (Great Teacher Garuda).
    • They help farmers by killing rats and other farm pests.
Environment Indian wildlife biologist gets UN highest environmental award