PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron received UN’s highest environmental honour - Champions of the earth award today. With the pride, the prestigious award was bestowed by the visiting UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres to PM Modi at a special ceremony here on Wednesday. The award was announced on September 26 on the sidelines of the 73rd session of UN General Assembly in New York.

PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron were recently named as the beneficiary of the esteemed award for their excellent leadership and promoter feat on sustainable development and climate change under the flagship of International Solar Alliance.

PM Modi and French president Macron were recognized in the Policy Leadership category for their revolutionary work in championing the International Solar Alliance and for their first-time vow to get rid of all single-use plastic in India by 2022, the UN said.

Four other environmental change makers including China were also awarded by the UN.

“Emmanuel Macron, President of France and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, are recognized in the Policy Leadership category for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and promoting new areas of levels of cooperation on environmental action, including Macron’s work on the Global Pact for the Environment and Modi’s unprecedented pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic in India by 2022,” the United Nations press release read.

Earlier a day India felt proud to host the first Assembly of the International Solar Alliance in the ledership of PM Modi. It was the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting and the 2nd Global RE-Invest (Renewable Energy Investors’ Meet and Expo) . The meeting held on the 150th birth anniversary of father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi.