Davao City/ Bangkok, 17 September 2008 - Thirteen innovative project proposals from civil society groups and research institutes in Asia Pacific will receive an award of up to US$30,000 for their novel approaches to sustainable development. The 13 proposals were selected from more than 350 entries received under the Asia Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED) Showcase Programme this year.
The APFED Showcase Programme, which began in 2006, grants up to US$30,000 to environmental projects in the region that demonstrate innovative approaches to sustainable development, implementation, monitoring, and information dissemination.
“This year additional consideration was given to project proposals that address climate change and which use the 3R approach (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) to policy,” said Mr. Henk Verbeek of the UNEP/ROAP office.
The winning projects include a waste recovery project in Indonesia, increased water use efficiency for rice cultivation in Thailand, model green colleges in India, training of environmental lawyers in China, improving the life of casual gold miners in Mongolia, fostering youth leaders for waste-wise communities in Fiji, a technology park for climate change adaptation in Bangladesh, a community-based wind energy system in the Philippines, technical and financial demonstration model for rice husk gasification in Viet Nam, greening organizations to reduce ecological footprint in Pakistan, a light bulb campaign in Nepal, rainwater harvesting for sustainable water resource development and climate change adaptation in Iran, and the production of wildlife-friendly products by linking community agricultural cooperatives to biodiversity conservation in Cambodia.
These projects, including those selected in previous years, can be accessed through the APFED Good Practice Database to encourage replication in other countries in the region. The APFED Good Practice Database demonstrates the successfully completed APFED Showcase projects as well as the winning projects of Ryutaro Hashimoto Awards. Each of the Showcase project will be monitored and evaluated by one of seven institutes of the Network of Research Institutes for Sustainable Development established under APFED.
“It was a difficult task to make a selection from the 31 shortlisted entries. We had to select the best from among many very good proposals, while ensuring diversity and sub-regional balance,” said Panel member, Dr. Cielito Habito, former Minister of National Economic and Social Planning of the Philippines.
The 13 Showcase projects were selected at the APFED Showcase Panel meeting held in Davao City, the Philippines, on 24 July 2008. The APFED Showcase Programme will open another round of Call for Proposals next year, and interested parties are invited to visit the website: www.apfedshowcase.net and www.apfed.net, for further updates.
Proposals selected by the APFED Showcase Panel in 2008
|
