Afghanistan’s Mustafa Zahir
Wins Major Environmental Leadership Award

Mustafa Zahir

By Abdullah Qazi / April 22, 2010

Today, in Seoul, South Korea, Mustafa Zahir, who serves as the Director General of the National Environmental Protection Agency of Afghanistan, and 5 other individuals from around the world were given the 2010 Champions of the Earth Award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Mustafa Zahir is also the grandson of Afghanistan’s last king, Mohammad Zahir. The Champions of the Earth Award was established in 2004, and is given to people who embody commitment and vision towards environmental leadership through their actions and their influence. Past winners include former U.S. Vice President and environmentalist, Al Gore. The award recognizes achievements in areas of: Entrepreneurial Vision, Policy and Leadership, Science and Innovation, Inspiration and Action, and a special category for 2010, Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management. Mustafa Zahir won in the Inspiration and Action category. More than 100 nominations were submitted from around the world, and from that 6 winners were chosen.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, told the audience that Mustafa Zahir won because: “Prince Zahir has transformed environmental policy and laid the foundation for sustainability in one of the most challenging countries on the planet at this moment in history. He has balanced the day-to-day realities of Afghanistan with a determination that his country will have clean air and healthy water-backed by laws- upon which a sustainable and peaceful society can be built.”

The awards were presented as part of the 4th annual Business for Environment (B4E) Global Summit in Seoul. The aim of the B4E is to foster dialogue and business-driven action towards a global Green Economy. Topics such as resource efficiency, renewable energies, new business models and climate policy and strategies are discussed. .