New York, April 20- The UNDP-led Equator Initiative announces its global call for nominations for the Equator Prize 2021 on the eve of the Earth Day. This worldwide outreach effort aims to identify exceptional local solutions for climate, people and planet. Nominations are open through 10 May 2021.
This 12th cycle of the UNDP Equator Prize will focus on local communities and Indigenous groups in rural areas that have developed innovative, nature-based solutions for sustainable food systems to fight climate change and loss of biodiversity, towards advancing a green economy.
"Local communities and indigenous peoples are vital stewards of natural ecosystems and nature-based solutions. Their traditional knowledge and practices show that the solutions exist - they need to be identified and scaled up," stated Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary General and Director of UNDP's Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
"We are grateful to the Government of Norway for generously supporting the Equator Prize this year - the nomination is a starting point for community initiatives to be identified, recognized, highlighted and replicated locally and globally."
The event will contribute to several high-profile summits later in the year, including the UN Food Systems Summit, the Climate Conference in Glasgow (UNFCCC COP 26) and the Biodiversity Conference in Kunming (CBD COP 15).
Under the theme of 'Solving our Planetary Crisis', winning initiatives will be honoured under three thematic priorities:
· Action on Sustainable Food Systems
Protection, restoration and/or sustainable management of natural and agricultural ecosystems for food security.
· Action on Climate
Protection, restoration and/or sustainable management of ecosystems that help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and/or help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.
· Action on Nature and Green Economy
Protection, restoration and/or sustainable management of terrestrial or marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and/or wildlife that enables sustainable and green livelihoods, enterprises, and jobs, including Indigenous economies.
Special consideration will be given to nominees working on ecosystem integrity and intactness, water security, disaster risk reduction, advocacy for land and water rights, social and environmental justice, and gender equality.
The winners will join a prestigious network of 255 leading community-based organizations from 83 countries that have been awarded the Equator Prize since 2002. Each Equator Prize winner will receive USD 10,000 and will be supported to participate virtually in a series of policy dialogues and special events in the Fall of 2021.
The Equator Prize has been supported by former Heads of State Gro Harlem Brundtland, Oscar Arias and Mary Robinson; Nobel Prize winners Al Gore and Elinor Ostrom; the Thought Leaders like Jane Goodall and Jeffrey Sachs; and Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, among many others.
The Equator Initiative is a UNDP-led partnership that brings together the UN, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizations to advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. Our partners include the Governments of Germany (BMZ), Norway (NORAD) and Sweden (Sida); Conservation International; Convention on Biological Diversity; One Earth, Tribal Link Foundation, Ecoagriculture Partners; Fordham University; International Union for Conservation of Nature; The Nature Conservancy; PCI-Media Impact; Rare; UN Environment; UN Foundation; the Wildlife Conservation Society, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
For details on the nomination and selection criteria, and to submit nominations, visit https://bit.ly/3tz3MD6
