Community-Based Enterprises
Local communities are integral in protecting World Heritage sites. In support of locally owned businesses, we have worked with the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (a project of the United Nations Development Programme), which provides support for training and credit and financing to build sustainable businesses around World Heritage sites.
COMPACT
We launched the Community Management of Protected Areas for Conservation—COMPACT—working with UN agencies, including the UN Development Programme.
The COMPACT is a small grants program that builds community-based initiatives that increase the effectiveness of conservation of local ecosystems in and surrounding World Heritage sites while working to improve the livelihoods of local populations. Since we launched the COMPACT, we have stimulated 200 community projects in eight countries.
EQUATOR INITIATIVE
Did you know the world’s greatest concentrations of species are found in the tropics, in countries that also have some of the highest levels of poverty?
The Equator Initiative—a partnership between us, the UN, individuals, businesses, governments and communities—champions community efforts to link economic development with the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The Initiative’s work is organized around three themes:
- The Equator Prize: a prestigious international award that recognizes local efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity;
- Equator Dialogues: an innovative program that fosters dialogue to celebrate local successes, exchange best practices, share experiences and inform policy; and
- Equator Knowledge: a research and learning initiative dedicated to sharing best practices for conservation and poverty reduction.
STORIES OF IMPACT
The Galapagos Islands - Biodiversity on the Brink
Area of Involvement: Sustainable Development
Many of us first read about the Galápagos Islands in a high school biology text book. Charles Darwin's famous theory of evolution was inspired by his visit to one of the largest, most complex, most diverse, and best preserved ocean archipelagos on earth. Because of its outstanding and universal value, the Galápagos Islands were fittingly designated as our planet's first World Heritage site in 1978.
Rebuilding lives and livelihoods in Mexico
Area of Involvement: Sustainable Development
When a category 5 hurricane devastated the mostly Mayan community of Sian Ka'an, Mexico, we appealed to our supporters and partners. The response was overwhelming to help rebuild this World Heritage site.
RESOURCES
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Celebrate, Innovate and Sustain: Toward 2015 and Beyond - The United States' Strategy for Meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals
Issue Area: Children’s Health
Issue Area: Climate & Energy
Issue Area: Sustainable Development
Issue Area: Technology
Issue Area: UN-US Relations
Issue Area: Women & Population
Obama Administration officials unveiled the U.S. Government’s strategy for advancing the Millennium Development Goals on July 30, 2010, with an emphasis on innovative and sustainable approaches to the world’s most urgent challenges, during a high-level working session hosted by the United Nations Foundation.
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UN Foundation Newsletter (Fall 2009)
Issue Area: Children’s Health
Issue Area: Climate & Energy
Issue Area: Sustainable Development
Issue Area: Technology
Issue Area: UN-US Relations
Issue Area: Women & Population
A semi-annual newsletter highlighting the UN Foundation's programs and people.
