An event to honor indigenous peoples and local community achievement and build the movement for inclusive climate and development solutions.

 

 

 

Recent Equator Prize cycles

Equator Prize 2022 Award Ceremony

The 13th Equator Prize Award Ceremony honored 10 local and Indigenous communities from 9 countries across the world. The global award ceremony was held virtually on 30 November 2022 and garnered over 9,000 live viewers.

Read More »

Equator Prize 2021 Award Ceremony

The 12th Equator Prize Award Ceremony recognized innovative initiatives from local communities and Indigenous peoples that demonstrate exceptional achievements in nature-based solutions forlocal sustainable development.

Read More »

Equator Prize 2020 Award Ceremony

Honoring 10 outstanding Indigenous and local communities showcasing innovative, nature-based solutions for tackling biodiversity, climate change, development, and poverty challenges.

Read More »

Equator Prize 2019 Award Ceremony

Celebrating indigenous peoples and local communities pioneering nature-based solutions to climate change and sustainable development.

Read More »

Equator Prize 2017 Award Ceremony

Recognizing outstanding community and indigenous initiatives that are advancing nature-based solutions for local sustainable development.

Read More »

Find other prize cycles here:

 

Equator Prize 2014

Equator Prize 2014

Award Ceremony: 22 September 2014 - Lincoln Center, New York City

In support of the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit and the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, UNDP and partners hosted the Equator Prize 2014 Award Ceremony at Lincoln Center on Monday, 22 September 2014.  Attended by more than 2,400 people, the evening was a celebration of leadership by indigenous and local communities working to meet climate and development challenges through the conservation and sustainable use of nature.  The Academy Awards-style program featured a high-level reception, awards program, keynote speeches, videos (narrated by actor Alec Baldwin), program launches, and musical performances.

 

 

Equator Prize 2014 Winners

 

Equator Prize for Sustainable Land Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

Equator Prize for Sustainable Land Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

Award Ceremony: 17 June 2014 - Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi

The Equator Prize for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) recognizes and celebrates local grassroots organizations that are improving the livelihoods of rural communities in dryland ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa through sustainable land management.

The Equator Prize for SLM in Sub-Saharan Africa was awarded for the first time in Nairobi Kenya, on 17 June 2014, to commemorate the World Day to Combat Desertification. Twelve winning initaitives from 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa received $5,000 USD and were invited to Nairobi for a 3-day capacity building workshop and award ceremony. Three of the SLM winners were also selected to receive the Equator Prize 2014, and were supported to participate in a series of events held in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for September 2014 in New York.

The Equator Prize for Sustainable Land Management in Sub-Saharan Africa is a Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded project, implemented by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), ENDA Tiers Monde, UNDP’s Equator Initiative, and UNDP Namibia. The project seeks to improve the socio-economic development of rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa through sustainable land management, and to empower local grassroots organizations in sub-Saharan Africa to participate and influence the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), TerrAfrica, and other SLM processes, programs and policies.

 

Equator Prize for Sustainable Land Management in Sub-Sahara Africa Winners

Equator Prize 2012

Equator Prize 2012

Award Ceremony: 20 June 2012 - Vivo Rio, Rio de Janeiro

In August 2011, UNDP Equator Initiative announced the call for nominations for the Equator Prize 2012, which recognized 25 outstanding local initiatives that are working to advance sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. The 25 recipients of the Equator Prize 2012 each received $5,000 (USD), with 10 selected for special recognition and a total of $20,000 (USD). Representatives of winning communities participated in the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), which was held in Brazil in June 2012.

 

 

 

Equator Prize 2012 Winners

Equator Prize 2010

Equator Prize 2010

Award Ceremony: 12 September 2010 - UN General Assembly, New York City

Twenty-five winners were selected from a field of finalists to receive the Equator Prize 2010 and US$5,000 each. Five of these communities received a special recognition prize of US$15,000. Special recognition was awarded in the following categories: one for each region of eligibility (Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean), one to the initiative that best exemplifies indigenous peoples’ use of traditional knowledge, and one to the initiative that best exemplifies ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change.

 

 

 

Equator Prize 2010 Winners

Equator Prize 2008

Equator Prize 2008

Award Ceremony: 1 October 2008 - Palo Alto, Barcelona

Twenty-five winners were selected from a field of finalists to receive the Equator Prize 2008 and US$5,000 each.  Five of these communities received special recognition and an additional US$15,000. In addition to worldwide recognition for their work as well as an opportunity to help shape national and global policy and practice in the field, all nominees for the Prize became part of the Equator Initiative’s global network and are profiled in the Equator Initiative biodiversity best practice database. Special recognition was given in the following categories: one for each region of eligibility (Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean), one to the initiative that best exemplifies community approaches to adapt to climate change, and one to the initiative that best exemplifies the conservation of agricultural biodiversity. The Equator Prize was presented in October 2008, at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

 

Equator Prize 2008 Winners

Equator Prize 2006

Equator Prize 2006

Award Ceremony: 1st June 2007 - Museum of Natural History, Berlin

Five winners were selected from a field of finalists to receive the Equator Prize 2006. In addition to international recognition for their work and an opportunity to help shape international policy and practice in the field, winners each received a prize of US$30,000. All nominees for the prize became part of the Equator Initiative’s global network and are profiled in the Equator Initiative biodiversity best practice database. One prize was awarded in each region of eligibility (Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific), one to a community-based project in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one to the project that best exemplifies sustainable biodiversity-based business. Adding to the excitement of this year's Equator Prize, a 2006 finalist and a 2002 or 2004 finalist were selected to receive a renowned Pride campaign, supported by international conservation nonprofit and new Equator Initiative partner, Rare.

 

Equator Prize 2006 Winners

Equator Prize 2004

Equator Prize 2004

Award Ceremony: 1st February 2004 - Kuala Lumpur

The Equator Prize honors outstanding community projects that effectively reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.Equator Initiative's biennial Equator Prize is awarded to recognize communities from developing countries in the tropical belt that demonstrate in practical terms successful simultaneous efforts to conserve biodiversity and reduce poverty.The winners were announced in Malaysia at the Seventh Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

 

 

 

Equator Prize 2004 Winners

Equator Prize 2002

Equator Prize 2002

Award Ceremony: 30 August 2002 - Crown Plaza Hotel, Johannesburg

The Equator Prize is awarded to recognize and celebrate 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).

 

 

 

Equator Prize 2002 Winners

 

 

 


 

Equator Blog

About Equator Initiative 

Contact Us

Follow Us: