2008年的環保金人獎由七位草根運動領導人獲得，表揚他們勇於挑戰政府與企業利益，致力改善環境與社區居民福祉。今年每位得主的獎金由美金12萬5千元增加為15萬元。
環保金人獎創辦人古德曼（Richard Goldman）表示：「本屆得獎者展現了平民百姓在環境運動上的傲人成就。他們的貢獻提昇了社區居民的生活與周遭環境，值得我們關注、喝采。」
環保金人獎已邁入第19屆，每年頒發給世界各地區選出的基層環保英雄，是全球類似獎項中規模最大者。以下是今年的得獎名單：
厄瓜多-曼多薩（Pablo Fajardo Mendoza），35歲／楊薩（Luis Yanza），46歲： 在厄瓜多境內的亞馬遜雨林，他們與石油鉅商雪佛蘭對抗，發起環境訴訟史上最龐大的戰役，為當地遭受大量石油污染討回公道。
莫三比克-桑多斯（Feliciano dos Santos），43歲：在傳統音樂、草根行動與創新科技的配合下，他改善了莫三比克最偏遠地區的環境衛生，幫助村民參與永續發展，並且自貧窮翻身。
波多黎各-拉莫絲（Rosa Hilda Ramos），63歲：在首都聖胡安（San Juan）對岸的城市卡塔紐（Cataño）飽受工廠污染威脅，拉莫絲帶領居民駐守庫恰里亞斯（Las Cucharillas）沼澤，保護當地最後一片荒野，與最大的濕地生態系。
墨西哥-桑多斯（Jesús León Santos），42歲：非永續化的土地利用讓瓦哈卡（Oaxaca）成為全球土壤流失最嚴重的區域之，他推動土地改造計畫，運用原住民的傳統農耕方法將貧瘠土地變為沃土。
俄羅斯-莉可瓦諾娃（Marina Rikhvanova），46歲：正當俄羅斯擴展石油與核能經濟的同時，她致力保護西伯利亞的貝加爾（Baikal）湖，讓這個世界最重要的淡水水源免於高污染工業的環境破壞。
比利時-夏普斯（Ignace Schops），43歲：他結合私人企業、地方政府與權益相關人士的力量，募集超過9千萬美元，成立比利時第一、也是唯一的國家公園，保護該國一片廣大的綠地。
環保金人獎是1990年由舊金山公民運動領導人兼慈善家古德曼與已故妻子( Rhoda Goldman) 共同創立，至今已頒發給72個國家共126位得主。過去的得獎者中，共8位被任命或當選為國家官員，其中有幾位擔任環境部長。1991年非洲的金人獎得主瑪薩伊（Wangari Maathai）曾於2004年榮獲諾貝爾和平獎。
環保金人獎網站有關於今年與過去得獎者更詳細的資料：http://goldmanprize.org
Seven grassroots leaders who are challenging government and corporate interests and working to improve the environment and living conditions for people in their communities have won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize this year. In 2008, each individual Prize award will be increased from $125,000 to $150,000.
"This year's Prize recipients exemplify the astounding environmental work being done by ordinary people around the world," said Goldman Prize founder Richard Goldman. "Their commitment to bettering both the lives of people living in their communities and the environment around them has received our attention and praise."
The Goldman Environmental Prize, now in its 19th year, is awarded annually to grassroots environmental heroes from each of the world's inhabited continental regions and is the largest award of its kind. This year's winners are:
Pablo Fajardo Mendoza, 35, and Luis Yanza, 46, Ecuador:In the Ecuadorian Amazon, Fajardo and Yanza lead one of the largest environmental legal battles in history against oil giant Chevron, demanding justice for the massive petroleum pollution in the region.
Feliciano dos Santos, 43, Mozambique:Using traditional music, grassroots outreach and innovative technology to bring sanitation to the most remote corners of Mozambique, Feliciano dos Santos empowers villagers to participate in sustainable development and rise up from poverty.
Rosa Hilda Ramos, 63, Puerto Rico:In the shadow of polluting factories in Cataño, a city across the bay from San Juan, Ramos leads her community to permanently protect the Las Cucharillas Marsh, one of the last open spaces in the area and one of the largest wetlands ecosystems in the region.
Jesús León Santos, 42, Mexico:In Oaxaca, where unsustainable land-use practices have made it one of the world's most highly-eroded areas, León leads a land renewal program that employs ancient indigenous practices to transform depleted soil into arable land.
Marina Rikhvanova, 46, Russia:As Russia expands its petroleum and nuclear interests, Rikhvanova works to protect Siberia's Lake Baikal, one of the world's most important sources of fresh water, from environmental devastation brought on by these polluting industries.
Ignace Schops, 43, Belgium:Raising more than $90 million by bringing together private industry, regional governments, and local stakeholders, Schops led the effort to establish Belgium's first and only national park, protecting one of the largest open green spaces in the country.
The Goldman Environmental Prize was established in 1990 by San Francisco civic leader and philanthropist Richard Goldman and his late wife, Rhoda Goldman. It has been awarded to 126 people from 72 countries.
Since receiving a Goldman Prize, eight winners have been appointed or elected to national office in their countries, including several who became ministers of the environment. The 1991 Goldman Prize winner for Africa, Wangari Maathai, won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
For more about the current and past Goldman Environmental Prize recipients, visit http://www.goldmanprize.org/
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作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
