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Li Congjun (R), president of Xinhua News Agency, receives an award from Achim Steiner, executive director of the UNEP, in Beijing, Dec 14, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

The United Nations Environment Program on Friday gave its first award for Excellence and Leadership in Media and Environment to Li Congjun, the president of Xinhua News Agency.

Li is now the only person that has twice received first-edition awards given by UN agencies.

On June 26, Li won the Leaders and Innovators Award from the UN Program on HIV/AIDS.

Achim Steiner, executive director of the UNEP, presented Li with a trophy and a certificate.

"This award is given for Li's efforts in raising awareness of environmental protection, empowering action in this field, and urging the government and the public to improve their living quality," the certificate said.

In his speech, Steiner thanked Li and his team for their support and communication of UNEP's mission toward an environmentally sustainable world.

Steiner said that without media support, UNEP could not transform its Green Economy concept from an idea to an outcome at the Rio+20 conference, which was held in June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Li said that this award is not only a great encouragement to his team, but also an incentive to Chinese media to report on environmental issues and promote the green economy.

Xinhua has worked with the UNEP since 2009 through the Bright Moon Action- Care for Africa initiative, which triggered the support from the Chinese government.

This year the agency collaborated with the UNEP in hosting the Rio+20—China in Action-Meet in Rio event.

Xinhua, which was founded in 1931, has 160 bureaus around the world.