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Winners Will Be Celebrated at the UN Climate Change Conference in Poland in December
Organizations, cities, industries, governments, and other key players that are taking the lead on tackling climate change can nominate their game-changing projects for a United Nations Award starting today.

The United Nations Climate Change secretariat opened the 
call for applications  for the 2018 Momentum for Change Awards from now until 30 April to showcase action and ambition as national governments work toward implementing the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Selected initiatives, called 'Lighthouse Activities,' shine a light on innovative, scalable and replicable examples of what people are doing to address climate change, in the hope of inspiring others to act. The winning activities will be recognized and celebrated during a series of special events in December at the UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland (COP 24).

The 2018 Momentum for Change Lighthouse Activities will recognize climate action that is already achieving real results in four categories: 

1.  Women for Results recognizes the critical leadership and participation of women in addressing climate change, implemented in collaboration with Masdar's WiSER initiative.

2.  Financing for Climate Friendly Investment recognizes successful financial innovations for climate adaptation and mitigation, implemented in partnership with the World Economic Forum Global Project on Climate Change.

3. Planetary Health  recognizes novel solutions that balance the need for both human health and a healthy planet, implemented with support by The Rockefeller Foundation.

4.  Climate Neutral Now recognizes efforts by individuals, companies and governments that are achieving real results in transitioning to climate neutrality, implemented with the secretariat's Climate Neutral Now initiative.

The Momentum for Change  Advisory Panel , made up of senior experts from various fields and countries, will select the 2018 Lighthouse Activities. 

Help Spread the Word

Help us find the world's best climate solutions by sharing our call for applications. High-resolution images, social media posts, and webcards are available for download at our Trello Board.  

Questions? Feel free to contact us at [email protected]
How to apply
Who can apply?
Organizations, cities, businesses, governments and other key players that are taking concrete action on climate change can apply to have their projects recognized as a 2018 Lighthouse Activity.
Why should you apply?
If your project is selected, you'll receive a wide range of benefits, including:
  • Attendance to the 2018 UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland (COP 24);
  • Access to policy makers and potential funders during the conference;
  • Public recognition by the UN Climate Change;
  • Public relations support and media training;
  • Digital assets such as professional photos and videos;
  • A dedicated page about your project on our website.
How to apply?
To start a new application, you'll need to first register in our application portal. It will take at least an hour to complete an application but you can save your progress at any time and work on it at your convenience. Completed applications must be submitted by 30 April 2018
Applications for the 2018 Momentum for Change Awards are being accepted from  22 February until 30 April 2018 at:  https://momentum.unfccc.int
Discover Last Year's Winners
Last November at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, we celebrated 19 inspiring projects as winners of the Momentum for Change Awards.  All are shining examples of climate solutions. 

Watch videos featuring winning initiatives, organized by last year's five focus areas:
2017 Lighthouse Activities in the News
1.     The Guardian - The social enterprise turning plastic waste into a currency, for a cleaner ocean
2.     The Guardian - How 'smart ice' is helping to save lives on Canada's thinning sea ice
3.     Reuters - In storm-hit St. Lucia, insurance creates a buzz
4.     The Telegram - Ice is a highway
5.     VICE - America Gave Up On Climate Change, So These Global Efforts Stepped Up