Endurance swimmer and advocate for the world’s oceans, Lewis Pugh has been named the South African Breweries (SAB) Environmentalist of the Year at the SAB Environmental Media Awards 2017. Competition for the 2017 awards saw more than 200 entries received.

Now in its 29^th year, the awards were started by the late conservationist Dr Ian Player to recognise members of the media who have excelled in reporting on environmental matters in video, audio, and written media as well as photography over the past year. 

During the awards, SAB and the national Department of Environmental Affairs joined to highlight some of the environmental issues facing South Africa. One such issue is climate change, which the minister of environmental affairs Dr Edna Molewa says is probably the greatest threat to our world at present. 

"If the world is to achieve the goal set in Paris of limiting global temperature increases to well below two degrees Celsius, in pursuit of efforts to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, it is urgent that ambition gaps be closed, emphasising the importance of ongoing international collaboration and talks on ways to mitigate and adapt to a changing climate," says Molewa. 

South Africa will participate in the forthcoming 23^rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Germany, under the presidency of Fiji. The conference is set to take place on Monday, 6 November to Friday, 17 November. 

David Hauxwell, vice president of procurement and sustainability at AB InBev Africa and SAB, says climate change is one of the most pressing issues confronting our planet. "As a multinational organisation, SAB and AB InBev are committed to the responsible use of global resources and doing what we can to minimise the impact of our operations to protect the planet for future generations," he adds.

"The media plays a critical role in highlighting the critical environmental issues facing the plant, and we are proud to have sponsored these awards for the past 29 years," he says.

The Nick Steele Memorial Award for Environmentalist of the Year acknowledges individuals who have gone above and beyond to look after the environment. 

"As United Nations Patron of the Oceans, Pugh plays a critical role in driving global attention for oceans, combining a unique method of campaigning through swimming and high-level diplomacy," adds Robyn Chalmers, director of communications, AB InBev Africa and SAB. Pugh received a R25 000 cash prize.

The winners of the 2017 SAB Environmental Media and Environmentalist of the Year are listed below.

Written media

Winner – Mark Olalde, Oxpeckers Centre for Investigative Environmental Journalism; and
Merit winners – Sipho Kings, Mail & Guardian and Sheree Bega, Saturday Star. 

Photography 

Winner – Jay Caboz, Forbes Africa; and
Merit winners – Susan Scott, Scott DeBod Films and Sandile Ndlovu, The Sowetan. 

Video media

Winner – Sasha Schwendenwein, Carte Blanche; and
Merit winners – Carol Albertyn, Carte Blanche and Anne-Marie van Niekerk, Carte Blanche.

Audio media

Winner – Minoshni Pillay, SABC Radio; and
Merit winners – Reginald Witbooi, SABC Radio and Monique Mortlock, EWN.

There was no winner of the Macqubu Ntombela and Ian Player Cub Award for environmental journalists with less than two years' experience in the industry. All category winners received R25 000, while merit winners received R3 000. 

"Entries this year were of an extremely high standard and we congratulate all our winners. SAB is proud to recognise the media’s essential role in creating greater awareness of environmental issues with the ultimate aim of ensuring that more people are knowledgeable about environmental issues facing the planet," Chalmers concludes.

For more information, visit www.sabenvironmedia.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.