Call for climate-friendly entrants for international awards

There are two awards that entrants can apply for, organised by the Climate Technology Initiative (CTI), the organisation launched in 1995 by the UNFCCC in order to foster international co-operation on practical methods for reducing climate change. Firstly, individuals can enter the CTI Climate Technology Leadership Award, intended to recognise dedication to fostering sustainable development in the furtherance of climate-friendly technologies or practices. The organisers are particularly interested in efforts in the developing world or in economies in transition.

Applicants from the private sector, NGOs, and public-private organisations, can also enter for the CTI World Climate Technology Award, designed to recognise efforts that have accelerated commercial deployment of climate-friendly technologies. Again, judges will be particularly interested in work in the developing world, or in economies in transition.

The CTI classifies climate-friendly technologies as those that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by cutting energy consumption, by using renewable energy, or through land-use change, forestry, improving efficiency, improved manufacturing, or sequestration.

Examples of previous awards winners include William Chandler, who won the Climate Technology Leadership Award in 1999 for his establishment of energy-efficiency centres throughout the economies in transition. In 2000, the energy programme of the Intermediate Technology Development Group won the World Climate Technology Award for helping rural Peruvian communities to gain access to electricity by financing mini-hydro power technologies. Finally, last year, Clovis Borges was recognised for conserving Brazilian rain forests in order to preserve bio-diversity and capture carbon dioxide.

The winners will be honoured in November during a ceremony at the Eighth Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in New Delhi.

As of 11 December last year, 186 countries had ratified the UNFCCC. A list of the countries is available from the UNFCCC website.