Ginger Zee Receives Inaugural CGI Climate Champion Award for Climate Reporting

A New Award for Climate Voices

ABC News chief meteorologist and climate correspondent Ginger Zee has received the inaugural CGI Climate Champion Award, a new honour created by the Clinton Global Initiative to recognise individuals speaking out against climate change.

The award was presented by former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Wendy Abrams during the CGI 2026 Annual Meeting, held over two days in New York City in late September. The Clinton Foundation lists the presentation among the meeting’s headline moments.

Recognising Climate Reporting

Zee serves as ABC News’ chief meteorologist and chief climate correspondent, a role in which she has covered extreme weather and climate science for the network’s national broadcasts. The United Nations also lists her as “Chief Meteorologist and Climate Change Lead” at ABC News, where she moderated a climate-resilience panel in the SDG Media Zone during UNGA80.

According to the Clinton Foundation, the new award was presented jointly by Clinton and Abrams. Forbes’ breaking news coverage of the announcement described the Climate Champion honour as a new initiative meant to recognise individuals speaking out against climate change.

Inside the CGI 2026 Annual Meeting

The two-day New York gathering brought together leaders from business, government, philanthropy, advocacy and culture, according to the Clinton Foundation. The meeting produced 60 new Commitments to Action, valued at more than $603 million when fully funded and implemented, spanning health, climate, humanitarian response, economic opportunity and gender equity.

The Climate Champion Award was presented alongside other highlights, including three Clinton Global Citizen Awards for frontline responder organisations and new philanthropic commitments unveiled on stage.

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Why It Matters

Climate journalism sits at the centre of how the public understands a warming planet — from linking extreme weather to its causes, to holding decision-makers to account. By creating a dedicated award for climate voices, the Clinton Global Initiative is signalling that the people who communicate the crisis are themselves part of the climate response.

For more of Watan News’ climate coverage, visit the Climate section on watannews.dk.