The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) announced the 21 nominees for the 2024 Local Adaptation Champions Awards today. These prestigious awards, which spotlight groundbreaking and scalable locally led efforts, celebrate innovation in addressing the growing impacts of climate change while fostering resilience at the community level. The nominees have been selected in four categories: Water Security, Food Security, Local Entrepreneurship, and Urban Adaptation Solutions. This year the Global Center on Adaptation received a record 870 applications from organizations in 107 countries.
This year’s nominees, hailing from across the globe, have implemented or are implementing climate change adaptation or resilience interventions that align with the Principles of Locally Led Adaptation, addressing the specific vulnerabilities within their communities. These efforts represent the future of climate resilience, showcasing the power of grassroots innovation in combating climate change.
“We are thrilled to announce the top 21 nominees for the 2024 Local Adaptation Champions Awards. The competition this year was exceptionally close, with many deserving applications demonstrating remarkable impact. It is an honor for GCA to help amplify their voices and highlight the transformative work happening on the frontlines of climate adaptation,” said Anju Sharma, Global Lead on Locally Led Adaptation at GCA.
Selection Process and Nominees
The 21 nominees were chosen by a group of international experts specializing in locally led climate adaptation, following a rigorous point-based ranking system. This year saw a record-breaking 870 applications from organizations in 107 countries, showcasing the growing momentum for local adaptation initiatives worldwide. These applications demonstrated concrete progress in building resilience to climate change, implementing sustainable strategies in sectors ranging from agriculture to urban planning, and enhancing water security.
Following an additional screening by a Technical Advisory Group composed of leading adaptation experts, the final four winners will be selected by a distinguished high-level jury. The winners will be announced at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan on 13 November 2024. Each of the four category winners will receive €15,000 and gain sponsorship from the Adaptation Fund, which will allow them to participate in the Fund’s high-profile readiness and learning-and-sharing events, helping to further scale their initiatives and impact.
The 2024 Nominees Are:
Water Security:
Department of Education, Tabaco City Division (San Miguel National High School) – Implementing innovative water resource management practices in schools.
Flora Phoenix Ltd – Using innovative technologies to enhance water security in arid regions.
Green Hope Foundation – Advocating for environmental justice and water security in vulnerable regions.
Meghalaya Basin Development Authority – Fostering community-driven water management solutions in Meghalaya, India.
Youth Ecological Center – Empowering youth to lead water conservation and climate adaptation efforts.
Food Security:
ActionAid – Promoting climate-resilient farming techniques to protect food systems in disaster-prone areas.
Nabahya Food Institute – Creating sustainable agricultural systems to bolster food security in East Africa.
Natural Aceh – Strengthening food security and resilience through agroforestry in Indonesia.
New Agriculture New Generation – Supporting youth-led agricultural entrepreneurship in Greece.
Tree Aid – Working with communities to restore degraded landscapes and enhance food production in the Sahel.
Local Entrepreneurship:
Aliet Green – Empowering women farmers in Indonesia through sustainable and fair-trade agricultural practices.
Horizon Business Ventures – Scaling climate-resilient enterprises in West Africa.
PraveenLata Sansthan Foundation – Supporting local entrepreneurship and adaptation through community development in India.
SLYCAN Trust – Advancing sustainable business models and climate resilience in Sri Lanka.
Tech-Innov – Developing technology-based solutions for local businesses to thrive in a changing climate.
Urban Adaptation Solutions:
Association la Voûte Nubienne – Advancing sustainable and climate-resilient architecture in Burkina Faso.
Community Design Agency – Reimagining urban landscapes with sustainable and adaptive design in India.
Instituto Internacional de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo América Latina – Promoting community-led urban adaptation projects across Latin America.
Landprocess and Porous City Network – Designing adaptive urban infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Thailand.
Save Your Hood (The Extra Mile) – Engaging citizens in urban clean-up efforts to enhance resilience in Greek cities.
Upcycle Africa – Turning waste into construction materials to build resilient housing in Uganda.
The 2024 Local Adaptation Champions Awards demonstrate that local, community-driven initiatives are essential to combating climate change. By recognizing and supporting these projects, GCA aims to inspire others to take action and scale innovative solutions.
The awards ceremony will be a moment to celebrate not just the winners, but the global movement towards locally led adaptation, showcasing the incredible resilience and creativity of communities on the frontlines of climate change.
Notes to Editors
About the Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that promotes adaptation to the impacts of climate change. It works to climate-proof development by instigating policy reforms and influencing investments made by international financial institutions and the private sector. The goal is to bring climate adaptation to the forefront of the global fight against climate change and ensure that it remains prominent.
Founded in 2018, GCA embodies innovation in its approach to climate adaptation as well as in its physical presence. It operates from the largest floating office in the world, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Beijing, China. The Center will open a new office in Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.