BRICS Green Future Award Winners Announced
The Green Future Ecological Female Projects Contest has emerged as a dynamic platform for sharing expertise and advancing innovative solutions in sustainable development and green economy. Over 800 applicants from five BRICS nations submitted dozens of unique environmental projects.
The project was organised by the Council of the Eurasian Women’s Forum under the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, alongside Rosatom State Corporation. One of the key partners of this award was the BRICS Expert Council-Russia. Participants hailed from government agencies, major businesses, research centres, universities, and ESG departments within companies. Fifteen best projects advanced to the finals, with three finalists in each category: Ecological Culture, GreenTech, Green Corporation, Green Workforce, and Environmental Protection. Over half of submissions originated from Russia, India, South Africa, and China. All proposed projects are already being put into action and have yielded tangible results.
Galina Karelova, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council and Chairperson of the Council of the Eurasian Women's Forum, noted that the remarkable interest in the award underscores how the environmental agenda is becoming a unifying value among the BRICS nations. She expressed confidence that one of the contest's significant outcomes will be collaborative projects and enhanced cooperation in ecology and green economy.
The award honoured the following environmental champions:
- Svetlana Radionova (Russia) pioneered Ecology is Everyone's Business, an international youth programme engaging 210,000+ participants across 78 countries over four years through educational modules, online courses, and university partnerships.
- Luciana Rodrigues Oriqui (Brazil) launched the Less Waste Movement (Movimento Menos Resíduo) project, revolutionising chemical industry practices to reduce environmental harm through sustainable operational models.
- Joni Pierce-van Zyl (South Africa) created Wild Hearts, an environmental initiative designed for children fostering a mindful relationship with nature that has cultivated environmental consciousness among 4,500+ schoolchildren since 2023.
- Sahar Mansoor (India) introduced the Waterless and Wasteless Everyday Necessities by Bare Necessities project, a business model embedding circular economy principles into daily consumption.
- Kunjpreet Arora (India) presented Wricks: Building for Sustainable Future. This project features innovative building materials called Wricks, made from recycled waste and already used in more than 200 projects, significantly reducing carbon footprint and construction waste.
The award ceremony took place on June 16 and was attended by Irina Kostetskaya representing the BRICS Expert Council-Russia. She emphasised that the contest showcased the immense potential of international women's cooperation in ecological innovation and highlighted the increasing influence of women in shaping the sustainable development agenda.
Finalists received mentoring support from experts, opportunities to present their projects on an international stage, and resources to scale up their initiatives.
