Ecological is logical

Group photo of the awardees

"Renewable energy and green technology solutions are profitable, so profitable that if you want to make your country great again, you need them," Bertrand Piccard, CEO of Solar Impulse and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, said at the Momentum for Change event in COP 22, Marrakech. The United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Momentum for Change initiative recognises innovative and transformative solutions - called “Lighthouse activities” - that address climate change and wider economic, social and environmental challenges. 

 “Ecological can be logical as well," Piccard said, “All of this year’s lighthouse winners are proving that and showing us climate action is happening on the ground.”

This year, 13 activities from around the world were honoured.

One of the innovative projects under the Women for Results category involves harvesting water from fog by Moroccan women on the edge of the Sahara desert.

For the financial innovations category, the Canadian province of British Columbia, which is the birthplace of the first carbon neutral tax, was one of the awardees.

A Bangladeshi project named SOLshare - the world’s first ICT-enabled peer-to-peer electricity trading network for rural households - was one of the ICT solutions awardees.

“Even those who cannot afford to buy the system can avail it. And those who have more energy can make money by selling it,” said Aziza Sultana Mukti of the project.

Ban Ki-moon speaking at the event

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, for whom this is the last COP, spoke at the event, congratulating the winners for paving the way for a greener future.

“I am truly inspired by the lighthouse activities we are here to celebrate. They show innovation at its best,” he said, “The winners have shown how all sectors of society can help be the defining change. Let us take inspiration from these shining examples.”