BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has partnered with Chinese social media giant Sina Weibo to roll out the Chinese version of its Young Champion of the Earth.
The prize awards young Chinese citizens who have made major contributions to innovative plans for China's environmental protection.
The UN introduced the Young Champion of the Earth in 2017 as an annual awards programme to recognize and support young environmentalists.
The Chinese Young Champion of the Earth is the UN prize's first national-level program. It is open to Chinese citizens between 18 and 30 years old.
Three winners will be announced in late May, and enjoy financial support, experts instruction as well as customized training to help implement their projects.
"China's top leadership has shown strong determination to turn the country into a greener place and relies on the people to create the changes," said UNEP executive director Erik Solheim.
Solheim pointed out that no other nation had reduced poverty as much as China, and said he believed that China would make major contributions to global environmental protection.
Social media has made it easier for people to participate in public welfare activities and Sina Weibo has been active platform promoting public welfare, according to Sina Weibo board chairman Charles Chao.
Sina Weibo set up an online public welfare community in 2012, which has drawn over 100 influential public welfare organizations and helped them launch more than 27,000 projects.
UNEP and Sina Weibo inked strategic partnership in 2017 to raise public awareness of environmental protection.
