The FLOW project wins the Eco-logic award for Municipalities
By Gina Ziervogel
On the 21st April 2016, Enviropaedia’s Eco-Logic Awards ceremony, that recognises “Environmental innovators, movers and shakers,” took place. In the ‘Municipalities’ category the Gold Award Winner was the Berg River Municipality’s partnership in the Fostering Local Wellbeing (FLOW) programme. The Bergrivier won ahead of 2 large metro finalists. As Hanlie Linde, the Municipal Manager, said, “‘n klein Munisipaliteit met ‘n groot hart en groot omgee vir ons gemeenskappe.”
FLOW aims to build adaptive capacity and transformation potential in the face of climate change, resource depletion, financial shocks, growing inequality and poverty. In the Bergrivier Municipality, 10 FLOW Ambassadors were trained in 2015 and a second cohort of 9 Ambassadors started in 2016. Selected for their leadership potential, the FLOW Ambassadors use iPhones to record examples of local environmental, social and economic sustainability. Activities aim to support communities to adopt innovative, adaptive ways to tackle issues and to catalyze new green and social entrepreneurial opportunities.
The FLOW Programme is a transdiscipinary research project, based at the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) at the University of Cape Town. It was conceptualised by Meshfield, developed in partnership with the ACDI and the Bergrivier Municipality, and co-funded by the Flanders Government (through the South African Treasury’s Technical Management and Support programme), Meshfield and the Bergrivier Municipality. The FLOW implementation team, led by Meshfield, includes UCT academics, Bergrivier residents and a multi-disciplinary team of sustainable development professionals. You can see more about their work on their Youtube channel
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity.