Need some inspiration? Take a look at these 16 game-changing climate action initiatives from around the world! These projects were today announced as winners of the prestigious United Nations’ Momentum for Change climate change award.
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Winning activities include Fairphone https://www.mygreenpod.com/articles/fairphone-2/, which is a seriously cool smartphone that puts social values first, and the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative, which is enabling 40 Latin American cities to take concrete climate action.
Other inspiring projects include Microsoft’s Internal Carbon Fee, which holds its business units financially responsible for reducing their carbon emissions.
The Momentum for Change initiative is spearheaded by the UN Climate Change secretariat to draw attention to some of the most innovative, scalable and replicable examples of what people are doing to address climate change.
Today’s announcement is part of wider efforts to mobilise action and ambition as national governments work towards adopting a new universal climate agreement in Paris.
‘With less than 35 days to go until the climate change conference in Paris, the Momentum for Change Lighthouse Activities are further compelling proof that climate action is building worldwide and in countries, communities, companies and cities everywhere.
‘By showcasing these remarkable solutions and the people behind them we can strengthen efforts toward that new agreement, accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon, highly resilient development path and mark a turning point in the sustainable management of planet Earth for the seven billion alive today and the ten billion by 2050.’
Christiana Figueres, UNFCCC Executive Secretary
Each of the 16 winning activities touches on one of Momentum for Change’s four focus areas: Urban Poor, Women for Results, Financing for Climate Friendly Investment and ICT Solutions.
All 16 will be showcased at a series of special events during the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, France (30 November to 11 December).
Innovating pay-as-you-go energy systems for rural homes
Azuri PayGo Energy has combines solar and mobile phone technology to bring clean energy to people living in Sub‐Saharan Africa. The pay‐as‐you‐go solar home system provides eight hours of emission‐free lighting each day and enough power to charge mobile phones.
Building a network of electric vehicle express charging stations
ChargePoint’s Electric Vehicle Charging Corridors, the world’s largest EV charging network, is transforming the transportation industry by providing the charging stations, mobile app and the network that allow people to charge their cars everywhere they go.
Using a carbon-asset-backed loan to protect forests and produce cocoa
The Deforestation-free Cocoa project follows a ‘payment for performance’ model: farmers receive financing on the condition that they won’t deforest further, will restore 4,000 hectares of degraded land in the buffer zone with cocoa‐based agroforestry systems, and that a share of revenues from cocoa sales will go to investors.
Supporting sustainable growth in emerging cities
The Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative is tackling climate change by creating planning tools and action plans to put Latin American cities on a low-carbon, highly resilient pathway.
Using ICT solutions to build resilience
The Enabling Farmers to Adapt to Climate Change project uses a set of ICT tools to collect, analyse and send out agricultural advisories, crop and livestock market information and weather data to Ugandan farmers, who are among the most affected by the impacts of climate change.
Creating jobs to keep e-waste out of landfills
The E‐waste: From Toxic to Green initiative trains waste pickers in India to collect electronic waste, such as computers and mobile phones, for safe disposal and recycling.
Producing a phone that improves lives and the environment
Fairphone is a Dutch social enterprise that is working to build sustainable and conflict‐free smartphones.
Reducing emissions in manufacturing
Fostering Cleaner Production is an all‐women leadership alliance helping transform Colombia’s highly polluting construction industry into a cleaner, greener business.
Generating income with geothermal waste-heat
Women from rural communities in El Salvador are increasing their incomes and tackling climate change through a unique project called Harvesting Geothermal Energy that uses waste heat and steam condensates from nearby geothermal plants.
Developing an online water management platform
Grundfos Lifelink Water Solutions helps build resilience to the effects of climate change by providing access to safe, sustainable and affordable water to people in developing countries.
Preparing for risk with online spatial tools
Mapping Exposure to Sea Level Rise is an innovative ICT solution helping Pacific Island countries prepare for and adapt to sea level rise brought about by climate change.
Transforming corporate culture by putting a price on carbon
Microsoft’s internal carbon fee holds its business units financially accountable for their carbon emissions. It’s a financial model that puts an incremental fee on carbon emissions associated with the company’s global operations for data centres, offices, labs, manufacturing, and business air travel.
Powering homes with solar energy
Mobisol Smart Solar Homes is a rent-to-own service that lowers the barrier to buying solar home systems upfront by allowing customers to pay the system off in 36 monthly instalments.
Establishing women-led groups that protect forests and generate income
The Planting Trees to Save the Mangrove initiative is run by women-led cooperatives in Guinea, who reduce the deforestation of mangrove wood and cut emissions by introducing solar driers to dry and smoke fish.
Using the sun to empower women farmers
SELF’s Solar Market Garden project combines solar-powered pumps with drip irrigation systems to provide for the reliable, year-round, production of high-value, nutritious produce. This allows girls and women to reallocate their time to educational and economic pursuits, rather than having to haul water long distances.
Reducing emissions while securing access to safe drinking water
Solvatten Solar Safe Water Heater is a dual water treatment and solar water heating system that is tackling climate change and improving lives in Kenya’s urban slums.
Click here to find out more about Momentum for Change.
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