The best input for halting the loss of biodiversity is being looked for again in Finland. The National Committee of Finland of IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature needs your help in finding an individual, organization or business that has been successful in safeguarding nature’s vitality and functioning ecosystem services in 2015 and 2016 in Finland. Send your proposal on 8 December at the latest!
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature is the oldest and largest global environmental organisation and network. The Finnish government represented by the Ministry of the Environment, and the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, WWF Finland, the Finnish Society for Nature and Environment (Natur och Miljö), the Finnish Wildlife Agency, BirdLife Finland and the Helsinki Zoo are Finnish IUCN member organisations.
This time we would like to find an input that that, for example, as a volunteer campaign has inspired various groups of people – children, youngsters, senior citizens, unemployed and new Finnish citizens – to understand the importance of nature conservation, and thus to help protect threatened species or ecosystems. This theme is linked to the IUCN initiative Inspiring a New Generation that aims at helping people of all ages to find a connection to nature.
The best biodiversity input can be, for example, practical nature conservation, communication, environmental education, research or business. It is an input or project that has been finished in 2015–2016. The best biodiversity input will meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society
- Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use
- Improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity
- Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services
- Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building
The winner will be announced by Agriculture and Environment Minister Kimmo Tiilikainen in Helsinki in early February 2017. This announcement is one of the events of the official Nature Days 2017 project of centenary of Finland’s independence (Finland 100).
Entries for the competition should be made on 8 December at the latest by using the Webropol tool.
The form for submitting your proposal and additional information about the competition