UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE PRESS RELEASE
Applications for 2019 UN Global Climate Action Awards Now Open
Bonn, Germany, 11 February
2019 – Starting today, organizations, cities, industries, universities,
governments, and others taking bold leadership on climate change can nominate
their work for a UN Global Climate Action Award.
The award, the focus of United
Nations Climate Change’s Momentum for Change initiative, recognizes the most
innovative projects in the field of climate action.
Winning activities encompass
scalable and replicable examples of what people are doing to address climate
change, in the hope of inspiring others to act. The selected activities will be
recognized and celebrated at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) in
Chile.
Past recipients of the award
have maximized their impact and scaled up globally.
For example, Bhungroo, a
rainwater management system used in dry spells to provide food security and
sustainable livelihoods to marginal farmers across India, won the award in 2015.
Today, Bhungroo is also being
implemented in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Togo, and Madagascar.
Liter of Light, a solar lighting
project that can be implemented with everyday objects and carpentry skills, won
the award in 2011. It began in the Philippines and has since spread to 30
countries. In 2015, Liter of Light went on to
win the coveted Zayed Future Energy prize.
Past winners have also included
Google, Microsoft, and the Government of British Columbia,
Canada.
“With the adoption of the
Katowice Climate Package, we have entered a new era in our collective efforts to
address climate change; one demanding increased climate action at all levels,”
said Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change.
“The UN Global Climate Action
Award is an opportunity to recognize leaders who are not only taking such
action, but providing an inspiring example for other governments, businesses,
cities and communities to follow. I therefore encourage those currently leading
projects—from large corporations to small cooperatives—to
apply.”
The 2019 award will recognize
climate action that is already achieving real results in four categories:
- Planetary
Health: recognizing novel solutions that balance the need
for both human health and a healthy planet.
- Climate Neutral
Now: recognizing efforts by individuals, companies and
governments that are achieving real results in transitioning to climate
neutrality.
- Women for
Results: recognizing the critical leadership and
participation of women in addressing climate
change.
- Financing for
Climate Friendly Investment: recognizing successful
financial innovations for adaptation and climate mitigation.
The award Advisory Panel,
made up of senior experts from various fields and countries, will select the
2019 winners. The panel is part of the secretariat’s Momentum for Change
initiative, which is implemented with the support of The Rockefeller Foundation
and operates in partnership with Climate Neutral Now, donors supporting the
implementation of the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan, and the World Economic
Forum.
Applications for the 2019 UN Global Climate Action Award will be
accepted from 11 February through 30 April 2019 at: https://momentum.unfccc.int/
For more information, please
contact:
Sarah Marchildon, Momentum for
Change Team Lead, UN Climate Change
Melissa Angel, Momentum for
Change Communications Specialist, UN Climate Change
Digital assets available
for download here