The Equator Initiative Celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity

Photos – Press Conference
Photos – Aveda Reception

The Equator Initiative began its celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity with a press conference to officially announce the winners of the Equator Prize and publicly discuss the importance of environmental sustainability, and the interlinked threats of biodiversity-loss and climate change. Mr. Charles McNeill, Environment Team Manager, Environment and Energy Group, Bureau for Development Policy, Mr. Yusuf-Shani Ole Patenya, Shompole Community Trust, Equator Kenya Prize winner; John Scott, Policy Officer for Traditional Knowledge, Convention on Biological Diversity; and Cassandra Waldon, Chief of External Communications spoke at the press conference.
Charles McNeill gave an overview of the historical background and the objective of the Equator Initiative. “It is ironic,” he said, that the nations that lie along the equator possess the most biological wealth but are also the most poverty stricken”. The Equator Initiative aims to help build the capacity and raise the profile of grassroots efforts that promote sustainable communities within the equatorial belt. The developing nations that suffer from poverty also have great potential to play an integral role in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. He also noted that forty percent of trade can be linked to biological resources.

Mr. Yusuf-Shani Ole Patenya of Shompole Community Trust, Equator Prize winner from Kenya thanked UNDP, and the Equator Initiative and its partners for the prize, and also for the international recognition and the commitment to sustainable development. He further explained how the Shompole Community Trust can use the income generated through the protection of the wildlife to increase the community’s lifespan, access to education and create better water projects.

Lastly, Mr. John Scott, Policy Officer for Traditional Knowledge for the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity emphasized the importance of traditional knowledge and the promotion of local level community perspectives. Traditional knowledge is a vital source for human existence. Mr. Scott also underlined the threats posed by climate change to biological diversity. As the climate changes, species will go extinct or be forced to migrate. It has been predicted that if the world’s temperature increases by three degrees in 100 years, our world could lose seventy percent of its plants and animals. Furthermore, under these conditions, it is predicted that the earth will only have the capacity to support 500 million humans.

The press conference proved to have been an informative and encouraging event. The announcement of the Equator Prize winners provided motivation to become more aware of our earth’s value and made a lasting effect on its audience members.

Aveda Honors Equator Prize Winners

On the evening of May 22, the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Equator Initiative partnered with AVEDA and Tribal Link Foundation to hold a reception recognizing the critical role that indigenous peoples play in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The reception also served to formally recognize the Equator Prize winners.

The reception was held at the elegant AVEDA office with a panoramic view of the New York City skyline. The program featured Javier Loayza, Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Bolivia to the UN; Charles McNeill, Environment Team Manager, Environment and Energy Group, Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP; Marcos Terena of the Terena tribe, Brazil and President of AVEDA, Dominique Conseil.

The highlight of the evening came with the presentation of a special certificate of recognition to Yusuf-Shani Ole Petenya, the representative from Equator Prize winner from Shompole Community Trust in Kenya who graciously accepted the certificate on behalf of all the Equator Prize winners. The evening underscored the important role that indigenous peoples play in the reduction of poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.