Climate & Environment

The United Nations Environment Programme partnered with Nigeria's National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to establish a sustainable e-waste recycling model addressing Nigeria's significant e-waste challenge - approximately 71,000 tonnes imported annually, often disguised as donations. The partnership developed the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024, implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) making manufacturers responsible for product recycling. Producers now contribute to public information campaigns, training programs, and collection systems. The model addresses the informal sector where workers engage in hazardous practices without protective equipment.

A global program building ocean literacy and behavior change for sustainable ocean stewardship. Includes the Blue Schools Global Network connecting schools worldwide, hands-on cross-subject projects, and the Generation Ocean campaign using transformative storytelling to drive ocean conservation action.

Enviroserve Rwanda operates East Africa's only state-of-the-art e-waste dismantling and recycling facility through a public-private partnership with the Rwandan Government. In 2023, Rwanda launched a national campaign to boost e-waste collection and recycling, partnering with the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Ministry of Environment, RURA, UNEP, and ITU. The campaign raises awareness about proper e-waste disposal and its environmental and health impacts. The facility offers free e-waste collection from government institutions and provides certified data destruction, battery recycling, and technical training programs. The initiative has created over 300 green jobs with plans to expand to 1,000.

Wecyclers is a Lagos-based social enterprise that transformed waste management behavior in low-income communities through an innovative incentive-based model. Households receive points for every kilogram of separated recyclables, redeemable for electronics, household items, training, or cash. The company deploys cargo bikes and tricycles to navigate narrow streets in densely populated areas where municipal services are inadequate. The program has fundamentally shifted perceptions of waste from "trash" to "currency" - residents now proactively register as they see neighbors receive rewards. Wecyclers has created 80+ jobs and aims to sign up 1 million Lagos homes.

The World Health Organization Initiative on E-Waste and Child Health supports pilot projects in Latin America and Africa to protect children's health from hazardous exposures in informal e-waste recycling. The initiative raises awareness about health effects of e-waste on children and pregnant women, who are particularly vulnerable to toxic substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium released during informal recycling practices such as open burning and acid leaching. The program works to build capacity for policymakers to enforce legislation, promote safe disposal practices, and develop healthcare protocols for treating e-waste-related health conditions in affected communities.

The Partnership for Action on Challenges relating to E-waste (PACE II) operates under the Basel Convention to promote environmentally sound management of e-waste globally. Building on earlier Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative and PACE programs, PACE II conducts awareness-raising activities through 14 Regional Centres across Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Activities include webinars, workshops, publications, and training for customs officials. The 2022 amendments expanded control of transboundary e-waste movements through Prior Informed Consent procedures, empowering developing countries to decide whether to accept e-waste imports. PACE II promotes circular economy approaches for electronics.

A Nigerian social enterprise using cargo bicycles to collect recyclable waste from low-income Lagos households, exchanging it for cash, electronics, and household items. The program addresses the city's 14,000 tons daily waste generation while providing income to communities without formal waste collection.

A global social fintech enterprise enabling people in coastal communities to collect ocean-bound plastic waste and exchange it for money, school tuition, medical insurance, and essential services. Collected plastic becomes 'Social Plastic®' feedstock for manufacturing, creating a circular economy.

The world's largest annual environmental civic action, mobilizing 30-40 million volunteers across 110+ countries for coordinated cleanup efforts, tree planting, and environmental awareness. Partnered with UNEP, it addresses the global challenge of mismanaged waste through collective action.

A global partnership integrating behavioral science into plastic waste management, moving beyond traditional information campaigns to use emotional appeals, social influences, and choice architecture. Implemented through the GEF Small Grants Programme's Plastics Innovation Programme supporting 54 community-based projects.

A national behavior change initiative using financial incentives to increase household waste sorting. The program decreased residual waste container sizes and offered lower collection fees for properly sorted waste, resulting in significant increases in recycling participation.

Cool Earth is an international NGO that funds Indigenous communities to protect endangered rainforests in Papua New Guinea, Peru, Cameroon, DRC, and Gabon. The model provides unconditional cash transfers and supports sustainable livelihoods (cacao, coffee, fish farms) while empowering communities to monitor and prevent illegal logging.

Farm Radio International partners with over 1,200 radio stations across 37 sub-Saharan African countries to deliver agricultural information and behavior change programming to smallholder farmers. Using interactive radio formats, SMS polling (Uliza tool), and community engagement, the program reaches 45+ million people annually, with over 50% of listeners adopting new farming practices.

Cool the Earth is a K-8 climate education program that has reached over 500,000 students and families across the United States. Using a child-driven model with classroom performances, coupon books for home energy actions, and family challenges, the program motivates 300,000+ personal energy-saving actions and builds climate literacy from an early age.

Swisscontact implements skills development programs across developing countries focusing on behavior change through learner-centered pedagogy, soft skills integration, and private sector engagement. Programs like Swiss Skills for Competitiveness (SS4C) in Indonesia integrate dual Vocational Education and Training elements. In Uganda, the organization works to change societal perceptions that deter youth from practical trades despite high labor market demand. Curricula include green skills, digital skills, and entrepreneurship.