The second edition of the Kipepeo Awards took center stage in the October UNEP global townhall meeting. Over 50 projects were submitted across the three categories as the teams sought top honours. The categories were classified into:
Innovation – This category had a total of 15 nominations. The element sought in this category was for their work to improve delivery of programmes or services through implementing unique and new solutions.
Environmental Impact – This category featured 14 nominations and the panel sought the element of transformational change delivery for people and planet. This is at the top of agenda for UNEP and the multilateral environment agreements and the teams showcased work on the triple planetary crisis. The reviewing panel looked for projects that demonstrated outstanding impact to advance the environmental agenda at the local, national, regional or international level and prove the sustainability and scalability of the same. They looked for details on how the nominees measured impact, the relevance, scope and outreach along with the expected or unexpected positive effects.
Collaborative teams - This was the most popular category of the 2022 Kipepeo Awards, it featured 22 nominations. The reviewing panel employed this criteria: exceptional teamwork dynamics amongst its members, working collaboratively and convergently to achieve organizational goals, soliciting inputs, genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise
CEREMONY
Kenneth Maguire, Administrative Assistant with Economy Division in Geneva and winner of the 2021 Special Mention award for the G Force initiative, served as host of the 2022 ceremony.
Millicent Karue-Wachira, Senior Administrative Assistant with Economy Division in Paris, spoke on behalf of the review panel.
Innovation Award
Diane Klaimi, programme officer with the Law Division and team leader of the Data reporting tool for MEAs project that won of the Innovation Award in 2021 presented this category.
Winner: ROADMAP TO MINAMATA COP
Minamata COP 4 was the first UNEP Conference of Parties for a multilateral environment agreement to convene in person since the outbreak of the pandemic. A small 15-person team planned and overcome numerous challenges from COVID protocols to logistical items linked to travel, connectivity challenges for Parties along with identifying the best online platforms for complex negotiations, to legal matters like definitions of participation for decisionmaking and election of officers, etc. They delivered a successful COP while navigating uncharted territory.
The other finalists in the category were: the unep.org website, the Smart Sanitation For Water Settlements, and the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (PML Digital Platform)
Environmental Impact Award
The finalists and winners for this category was introduced by Marta Moneo Lain, programme officer in the Panama Office and 2021 winner of the Environmental Impact category with the project on Microfinance for ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change.
Winner: PLASTICS TEAM!
Against considerable odds, the plastics team came together across divisions and disciplines to support the process resulting in the UNEA 5.2 resolution on plastic pollution and the formation of the intergovernmental negotiating committee. Their success was due in large part to their crystal clear technical support and wise navigation across potentially sensitive issues like competing national and business interests, not to mention geopolitical conflict. With the current projections of plastic production and plastic waste, the opening of a normative space for regulating plastics along the full life cycle is a historic achievement. The global press and international community recognized the strength of the achievement, representing years of research, engagement, and advocacy.
The other finalists in this category were: The Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative, Eliminating lead in petrol in the world, and Termosolar Panamá.
Collaborative Teams Award
Carina Mutschele from the Youth and Education Unit in the Ecosystems Division and winner of the 2021 Kipepeo Awards with Earth School presented this year’s finalists
Winner: CORPORATE LAWYERS AT UNEP’s SERVICE - LEGAL UNIT, CORPORATE SERVICE DIVISION
The team is composed of six colleagues providing corporate legal advice to support UNEP’s work, embracing innovation and timely solutions while ensuring that the regulatory framework of the Organization is upheld. The Legal Unit has a wide legal portfolio that supports the whole of UNEP (divisions and regional, subregional and country offices) and the Secretariats of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
The other finalists in this category include: UNEP Youth Working Group, the UNEP GEF Chemicals and Waste Portfolio, and the Adaptation in the Andes project.
Special mentions
UNEP YOUTH WORKING GROUP
The Working Group was established to improve collaboration when it comes to UNEP's work with and for youth. The group has served as a knowledge platform to keep all members informed about key UN and UNEP youth moments, including Member States resolutions and activities focused on young people. It allows all its members to share their ideas and current initiatives and programmes for collaboration or support. Over 45 members (from different offices and units) contributed to a mapping exercise of all initiatives, programmes, and campaigns that concern young people and the environment. It undertook an analysis of all the current youth partners, data and outreach work, as well as the strengths and challenges UNEP's youth work faces today.
ELIMINATING LEAD IN PETROL IN THE WORLD
The project is the culmination of a 19-year old journey and campaign, working with countries, numerous stakeholders and refineries worldwide to eliminate harmful lead in petrol and the sale of leaded petrol fuel in all the countries in the world. The approach through to implementation made use of science, public education, policy work and shame to score a stunning environmental victory. Research and data shows that leaded fuel bans save more than 1.2 million lives while helping the global economy avoid $2.4 trillion in healthcare expenses and other costs including 125,000 children who would otherwise die prematurely from cardiovascular, renal and neurological diseases. The end of leaded petrol supports the realization of multiple Sustainable Development Goals and offers an opportunity for restoring ecosystems, especially in urban environments, which have been particularly degraded by this toxic pollutant. The team’s work and multisectoral approach also contributed to the UNEA3 resolution on Environment and Health calling for collaborative action on integrated environment and health methodologies, tools and policies, and on specific nexus areas such as chemicals and waste, climate, biodiversity, antimicrobial resistance and sustainable consumption and production.
For more information contact unep-whatsup@un.org
