Dia Mirza's tenure as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador extended till 2022

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Thursday extended environmentalist and actor-producer Dia Mirza's term as its National Goodwill Ambassador for another two years till the end of 2022.

Dia, who is also a United Nations Sustainability Development Goals Advocate, said she views the extension as an opportunity to work towards championing nature.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve as UNEP ambassador. My association with the United Nations Environment Programme has been an extraordinary learning curve. It has defined my purpose and I hope to continue to learn and make a difference towards improving environmental consciousness.

"Now more than ever before we need to make every effort possible to act on climate, protect wildlife, biodiversity, and secure our natural resources," the actor said in a statement.

The "Kaafir" actor said being a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNEP has been an opportunity to have "meaningful conversations around nature and sustainability" with various stakeholders across India and the world.

"It has helped me understand the complexity of the issues at hand and the simplicity of the solutions," she added.

Dechen Tsering, Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific, UNEP said Dia's support a Goodwill Ambassador since 2017 has been "greatly valued."