You know we always say your support makes a difference? As 2012 comes to a close, we’d like to share 12 of Global Greengrants Fund’s top success stories from the past year. Thank you for making this all possible!
1. Ecuador’s Sarayaku People Win Major Human Rights Victory and Keep Big Oil Out: In 1996, an Argentine oil company began prospecting for oil on Sarayaku lands. With Global Greengrants Fund’s support, the Sarayaku people took legal action. This year, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights handed down a historic decision, stating the government had violated the Sarayaku people’s rights to consultation, communal property, and life. The ruling establishes an international precedent for the rights of indigenous people everywhere. >>Keep reading.
2. In Wake of Worsening Climate Disasters and Doha Climate Talks, Global Greengrants Fund Launches Youth Climate Initiative: While the U.N. climate talks in Doha, Qatar, demonstrated world leaders are failing to turn global warming around, Global Greengrants Fund is making climate a top priority: this month, we announced a new initiative to give young people resources and support to pursue cutting-edge climate change programs on a global scale. >>Keep reading.
3. Toxic Pesticide Banned in China: Paraquat is an acutely toxic weed killer that destroys plant tissue on contact and is responsible for the deaths of farmers and animals. After years of research and advocacy, grantee Pesticide Eco-Alternatives Center won a milestone victory when the Chinese government announced it would halt the production and use of paraquat starting in 2016. >>Keep reading.
4. Global Greengrants Fund Prioritizes Women’s Environmental Leadership: We have prioritized support for women’s environmental leadership and participation over the past three years. This year, the first phase of this project reached completion: each of our regional advisory boards has discussed ways to prioritize women’s participation, and each is taking active steps to create gender balance in its recruitment efforts.
5. Philippines Upholds Waste-Incineration Ban in Climate Victory: Why dispose of toxic waste when you can just burn it? That was the argument companies made when they launched a campaign to pressure the Filipino government to lift its ban on waste incineration.Global Greengrants Fund grantee Ecowaste Coalition partnered with other local organizations to raise awareness of the dangers, and won.
6. High Court in Uganda Bans Plastic Bags: After 10 years fighting for a ban on one-use plastic bags, grantee Greenwatch was instrumental in persuading the high court in Kampala to rule that micro-thin bags violate citizens’ rights to a clean and healthy environment.
7. Central American Advisory Board Forms Autonomous Organization: We congratulate our Central American partners for transitioning to an autonomous fund, which will give them more power to develop new programs and administer additional grants to grassroots groups in the region.
8. India Sues Monsanto: India became one of the first countries in the world to sue a company for “biopiracy.” The Environment Support Group, a Global Greengrants Fund grantee, pressured the Indian government to prosecute Monsanto for stealing a traditional strain of eggplant and using it to create a genetically modified version, which destroys biodiversity, health, and livelihoods.
9. Local Advisors from China and Russia Meet for the First Time: Global Greengrants Fund’s Chinese and Russian advisory boards met in October to launch new collaborative initiatives to save the Siberian tiger and protect critical watersheds.
10. Fundraising and Communications See New Growth: The Libra Foundation doubled its support of Global Greengrants Fund for the next three years with a $100,000 annual gift; the Ford Foundation gave an additional $50,000 to support indigenous communities on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast; individual supporters like you contributed more than $12,000 for Colorado Gives Day, a 60 percent increase over last year; and we created a new Communications Department that is tweeting and Facebooking so you can stay up-to-date on grantee successes and grassroots environmental news.
11. Board Members and Advisors Win International Prizes: Global Greengrants Fund board member Nnimmo Bassey received the 2012 Rafto Prize for bringing the world’s attention to the link between climate change and human rights. Board member Stephen Pittam and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust accepted the 2012 Raymond Georis Prize for Innovative Philanthropy. The prize, which recognizes exceptional and innovative philanthropy, is one of Europe’s most prestigious philanthropy awards. Many of our advisors and board members are so humble that we don’t learn of their personal achievements. Congratulations to all who were nominated or won awards this year!
12. Chile Establishes the Country’s First Municipal Marine Sanctuary: Chilean fishermen, with support from Global Greengrants Fund, have won protection for critical fish habitat along the country’s coast. The new 43-square-mile sanctuary protects a giant-kelp forest, an important ecosystem threatened by the boom in abalone aquaculture.