Deadline: May 27, 2015
The Equator Initiative is pleased to announce a global call for nominations for the Equator Prize 2015 as part of an extensive partnership effort underway to strengthen and highlight the role of indigenous peoples and local communities at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP21). The Equator Prize 2015 will be awarded to 20 outstanding local and indigenous initiatives that are advancing innovative solutions for people, nature and resilient communities.
In keeping with the themes of COP21 and the imperative of empowering indigenous peoples and local communities in the new climate agreement, the Prize 2015 will place special emphasis on the following:
- Local Climate Solutions: Indigenous peoples and local communities that are improving livelihoods and wellbeing through the protection, restoration and sustainable management of forests; sustainable agriculture and food security; community-based adaptation to climate change; or biodiversity conservation.
- Indigenous Peoples and Community Empowerment: Indigenous peoples and local communities that are working to protect and secure rights to their lands, territories and natural resources.
- Innovative Partnerships: Indigenous peoples and local communities that are forging innovative partnerships with governments, private sector companies and other stakeholders to advance inclusive climate and development solutions.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for the Equator Prize 2015, nominees must:
- Have been in operation for at least 3 years.
- Be a community-based or local group, operating in a rural area.
- Be located within a country receiving support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), excluding countries with a high level of development (see list of eligible countries below).
Eligible Initiatives
- Community-based organizations
- Community-based enterprises and cooperatives
- Community-based initiatives associated with conserved areas or other biological reserves
- Indigenous groups
- Women’s groups
- Youth groups
- Non-governmental organizations
See full list of eligible countries.
Award
Each winning initiative will receive US$ 10,000 and be supported to participate in a series of policy dialogues and special events at the UNFCCC COP21 in Paris, France in December 2015.
Selection Criteria
Nominations will be assessed based on
- Impact
- Indigenous & Community Empowerment
- Partnerships
- Innovation & Transferability
- Empowerment of Women and Social Inclusion
- Resilience, Adaptability & Self-Sufficiency
How to Nominate
- To access the online nomination system, please click here. Nominations may be completed online.
- or sent via email or post to:
Equator Initiative United Nations Development Programme
304 East 45th Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10017
Tel: +1 646 781-4072
Email: [email protected]
- Nominations may be submitted in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese.
For more information, visit the Equator Initiative or visit the FAQ section.
