United Nations, Oct 28: A Chinese man who has pushed environmental issues in his homeland and a Brazilian working to curb illegal trafficking in wildlife will share the UN environment program's 200,000 dollar prize this year, the United Nations announced yesterday. Xie Zhenhua of China "has worked tirelessly to steer the world's most populous country and fastest growing economy on an environmentally friendly path," according the a statement by UNEP, which is based in Nairobi, Kenya. Xie is China's Minister of State for Environmental Protection and an executive of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment.

UNEP said one of Xie's most important contributions has been to persuade others in China and internationally "that economic growth without environmental protection cannot last." Dener Jose Giovanini of Brazil has developed innovative ways to fight trafficking in wildlife that have become models for Latin America and the developing world as a whole, UNEP said. The agency said his work has shown that efforts to fight the illegal trade can work only when the root cause - poverty - also is addressed.

Giovanini founded the national network for combating wild animal trafficking to fight an illegal trade that supplies some 12 million animals, including parrots, monkeys and reptiles, from Brazil each year, the agency said.

Bureau Report