World Environment Day sees leading conservation organization, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda (GESG), win the prestigious Energy Globe award for Mexico. The award recognizes projects and organizations that represent exemplary, sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. This year’s award attracted more than 1000 submissions from more than 120 countries, making the Energy Globe Award the world’s premier environmental prize.
GESG’s groundbreaking work in restoring precious watersheds and supporting communities to grow more food sustainably saw Mexico receive one of the 15 National Energy Globe Prizes. As part of the project, more than 289 communities in the Sierra Gorda region are being supported to preserve and strengthen their water supplies, through improved agricultural techniques, including soil regeneration and carbon capture. In addition, communities are receiving training and support to reduce the environmental impact of their farming activities, without compromising the amount of food and income able to be generated from this. GESG acknowledges the invaluable support of the Gonzalo Río Arronte Foundation, which has been fundamental to the success of this project.
“It’s an honor to receive such recognition for our work, and for Mexico to be amongst the world’s winners,” said GESG’s Executive Director, Martha “Pati” Ruiz-Corzo. “We’ve seen firsthand that creative and innovative solutions to climate change and poverty are possible – we see the evidence of this every day in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve. We’ve seen a new green economy take root as a result of effective partnerships between local communities, civil organizations, and local and federal governments. Our challenge now is to take these solutions to the national and global level. We’re hopeful that the Energy Globe prize will assist us in doing this.”
With the winners announced today as part of World Environment Day, the Energy Globe aims to highlight the effective environmental work organizations like GESG are undertaking, and promote this as a model for sustainable conservation to a broader, global audience. This is the second time GESG has been awarded the Energy Globe prize, having received their first award in 2007.