2Sustain

The UNDP Equator Initiative’s 20120 Equator Prize recognizes 25 outstanding local initiatives that are working to advance sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. Following an extensive evaluation process, the Equator Initiative’s Technical Advisory Committee selected 25 winners from a total pool of over 800 nominations from 113 countries.

Equator Prize 2012 winners were selected based on:

• Impact: Initiatives that have improved community wellbeing and local livelihoods through sustainable natural resource management and/or environmental conservation of land based and/or marine resources.
• Sustainability: Initiatives that can demonstrate enduring institutional, operational and financial sustainability over time.
• Innovation and Transferability: Initiatives demonstrating new approaches that overcome prevailing constraints and offer knowledge, experience and lessons of potential relevance to other communities.
• Leadership and Community Empowerment: Initiatives demonstrating leadership that has inspired action and change consistent with the vision of the Equator Initiative, including policy and/or institutional change, the empowerment of local people, and the community management of protected areas.
• Empowerment of Women and Social Inclusion: Initiatives that promote the equality and empowerment of women and/or marginalized groups.
• Resilience, Adaptability and Self-Sufficiency: Initiatives demonstrating adaptability to environmental, social and economic change, resilience in the face of external pressures, and improved capacity for local self-sufficiency.

The Equator Prize celebrates outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation of biodiversity. As sustainable community initiatives take root throughout the tropics, they are laying the foundation for a global movement of local successes that are collectively making a significant contribution to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

For a complete list of winners, visit: http://equatorinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=684&Itemid=702