Deadline: 15-May-23

Nominations are now open for the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Mountain Protection Award (MPA) to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2023.

Throughout the past ten years, the MPA platform has enabled people to raise finances to build key infrastructures, conduct vital research and fulfil pending project goals.

In parallel, it has provided an international showcase and communication platform for projects to raise awareness, inspire and exchange ideas and initiatives about adapting to climate change, protecting biodiversity, preserving local cultures of the mountainous communities and promoting responsible practices.

Not only has it supported local communities, it has fostered its own global community. The Award celebrates innovation and the desire of climbers to make a positive difference.

Categories

• Each submitted project must be involved in at least one of five of the following UIAA MPA categories:
  • Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, including flora and fauna;
  • Sustainable resource consumption and management, such as energy or water;
  • Sustainable waste management and disposal;
  • Climate change adaptation and/or mitigation; and/or
  • Protection of the environment through culture, local traditions and education.
• Furthermore, projects are assessed according to their stage of development. A project can fall under one of the following categories:
  • A new idea or concept;
  • An ongoing project (under implementation);
  • A finished project realised in the current or past calendar year.

Benefits

• All reviewed projects are ranked according to the overall score given, providing the basis for allocating acknowledgement and prize eligibility. The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission convenes in a final review, taking into account recommendations and comments by the assessment team and decides on the following:
  • MPA Winner
  • MPA Runner-Up
  • MPA Best New Initiative
• The winning project is announced at the UIAA General Assembly and receives a cash prize of EUR 6’000, a UIAA MPA trophy, the right to use the UIAA MPA logo in gold, a certificate of recognition and will be featured in a dedicated UIAA news article. Exclusive communication of the winning project will be coordinated with UIAA partner BPOF and amplified through their worldwide channels. The winner will be asked to write and share a progress report within the next year and a final report upon completion of the project and submit this to the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission.
• The runner-up to the winning project is announced in the lead-up to the UIAA General Assembly and receives a cash prize of EUR 3’000, the right to use the UIAA MPA logo in silver, a certificate of recognition and will be featured in a dedicated UIAA news article.
• The highest-scoring project under the “new idea or concept” category is deemed the year’s UIAA MPA Best New Initiative and is announced in the lead-up to the UIAA General Assembly. It receives EUR 1’000, the right to use a dedicated UIAA MPA logo in black, a certificate of recognition and will be featured in a dedicated UIAA news article.

Eligibility Criteria

• An applicant can be an individual or a group who identifies as one of the following:
  • An association and/or alpine club (member of the UIAA);
  • A not-for-profit/non-governmental organisation or volunteer community group;
  • A for-profit business (e.g. tour operators, expedition agencies, etc.).
• A letter of support from the UIAA member association in the country(ies) where the project is implemented, must be submitted with the application. If the applying organisation is a UIAA member, a letter of support from its president must be submitted.
• To further enhance the application, letters of recommendation from local climbing and mountaineering associations/clubs, environmental associations, NGOs, governing bodies, and/or other important stakeholders are especially encouraged. As sound financial practices are a key element assessor will be looking for, ideally, at least one recommendation letter should specifically mention the organisation’s role of financial oversight over the project at hand.
• Each applicant can only submit one (1) project per edition.
• Previous applicants must also meet the general eligibility profile as stated above, and are welcome to re-apply with either:
  • An entirely new project; or
  • A project that was previously submitted as a ‘new idea or concept’ and that is now a project under implementation;
  • A project that was previously submitted as being ‘ongoing project’, and that has since achieved a proven track-record with significant results.
• Previous prize winners of the Mountain Protection Award cannot re-apply with the same project.

For more information, visit UIAA.