Michelle Bachelet receives first planetary Leadership Award from NatGeo

SANTIAGO – This week Chile’s former president Michelle Bachelet travelled to Washington, United States, to receive an award from the National Geographic, through the Pristine Seas project, for the environmental policies promoted during her administration.

Through its website, Nat Geo affirmed that the former president “is a world leader that implemented bold conservation initiatives.”

Chile creates five new marine protected areas (VIDEO)

“In 2017, inspired by the work of the Pristine Seas project, she led her government to create three large marine protected areas “: one near the Juan Fernández Archipelago, another near Cape Horn and the third near the Desventuradas Islands.

The President of the Board of Directors of The National Geographic Society, Jean Case, affirmed through Twitter that the event was aimed at celebrating and distinguishing “the extraordinary contributions of Michelle Bachelet (…). She and her team are an inspiration to all of us.”

Chile establishes Latin America’s largest Marine Protected Area in Rapa Nui

Ina video message shared on Twitter, the “excited” Ms. Bachelet said: “We demonstrate that it is not necessary to be a rich country to promote an environmental agenda that makes a difference.”

At the ceremony was also present the former foreign minister and current president of the PPD, Heraldo Muñoz, who was also recognized by the agency.

Chile promulgates National Oceanic Policy to protect marine life (VIDEO)

Last year, Michelle Bachelet became the first South American head of state to win the prestigious United Nations “Champions of the Earth” prize.

Bachelet wins U.N. Environment Prize

Chile protects over 1 million km2 of marine area, which is the largest conservation zone in the world. In October 2015, President Bachelet established the marine park Nazca-Desventuradas in the San Ambrosio and San Felix Islands, and a range of protected areas and marine parks in the Juan Fernandez Islands.

She has also extended protected areas in Easter Island. Aside from marine environmental protection, her policies have seen renewable energy production surge from 6 to 17 per cent of Chile’s energy creation in just 4 years.