Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director recognised the value of SEED winners in the Green Economy at the 2012 SEED Symposium and International Award Ceremony, 29 March 2012, Pretoria, South Africa:

Nick Nuttall, Spokesperson, on behalf of Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director talks about SEED and the role of grassroots entrepreneurs in the green economy at:

The Green Economy in Africa:

SEED’s Executive Director was asked to participate as panelist for the BBC’s World Challenge: Down to Business.

Entrepreneurs from every corner of the world are launching businesses that are reducing environmental impacts, creating prosperity, and improving lives in their communities.

The IMPACT (Innovative Models Promoting Adaptation and Climate Technologies) Business Award rewards enterprises that apply innovative business solutions in combating Climate Change and this year the 2010 SEED winner ‘Bamboo Bikes’ has been selected for its innovative contribution in the field of climate mitigation and adaptation.

The 2011 Africa Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) Awards, an initiative of the Africagrowth Institute, in partnership with governments and major organizations has awarded Guiding Hope, a 2008 SEED Winner, the first prize for Best New Business Award Sponsored by Pioneer Foods.

It is with great pleasure and excitement that the SEED Initiative today announces the 2011 SEED Award Winners!

Nairobi, 15 December 2011 From a company that transforms groundnut shells into fuel briquettes in Gambia, to an enterprise that has developed solar ovens in Burkino Faso, to an initiative that trains and employs street youth to collect waste materials in Ghana, which they then transform into handmade designer products, to a business in Kenya where women produce aloe-based skin care products, these are just some the 35 winners of the 2011 SEED Awards, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

A Workshop on partnerships best practices and their possible contribution to Rio+20 took place on 14 December at the UN Headquarters in New York organized by the UNCSD Secretariat. The workshop aimed to have an initial discussion regarding the elements that could be addressed at the Partnerships Forum during Rio+20 as called by the UN General Assembly resolution A/C.2/66/L.59.