Over a period of sixteen years, the Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program has supported pragmatically minded environmental projects conducted by NPOs and other private non-profit groups. With the announcement of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 in October this year, the company has shown that it remains committed to improving the environment through environmental technology and education.
Between April 1 this year and March 31, 2016, Toyota is adding 26 new projects to the 304 projects in 53 countries and regions that have already received support under the Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program. A ceremony will be held in December in Toyota City, where representatives of the selected projects will be presented with grant certificates.
The 26 new projects were chosen from a field of 100 applicants under the broad themes of biodiversity conservation and global warming.
Initial screening and selection were conducted by an expert committee. Projects were vetted based on their sustainability, scalability, and ability to meet local needs. The ten non-Japanese projects awarded grants include an initiative to promote the sustainable use of forest biomass energy in Mozambique. Meanwhile, the sixteen Japan-based projects include research into countermeasures for invasive raccoon species, and a wetlands dragonfly conservation project.
Next spring, a meeting will be held to report on the selections. In the meantime, Toyota offers its congratulations to the recipients and to all those who applied.
To find out more about the Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program, visit
http://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/environment/blessings_of_nature/ecogrant/
2015 Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Recipients
| Grant category | Theme | Project Description | Organization | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outside Japan | Biodiversity Conservation | Sustainable use of forest biomass energy and related educational activities in Mozambique | Kyushu Biomass Forum | Mozambique |
| Biodiversity conservation on cocoa farms in San Martín and Huánuco regions | Rainforest Alliance Inc. | Peru | ||
| Training “ecological rangers” to carry out environmentally-friendly urban planning | SOMNEED | Nepal | ||
| Reforestation by local communities in the Mau Forest Complex (East Africa’s largest indigenous forest) | Community Road Empowerment | Kenya | ||
| Planting 4 km of trees to connect the Bossou forest and Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage site and chimpanzee habitat) | Green Corridor | Guinea | ||
| Program to encourage biodiversity, create seedbeds and promote environmental education | OISCA-Japan | Sri Lanka | ||
| Citizens acting locally for the global environment | Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds | Portugal | ||
| Woodland conservation project to establish a palm sugar production system in the western area of Java | Japan Environmental Education Forum | Indonesia | ||
| Program to promote sustainable use of forest resources on Flores Island | BirdLife International Tokyo | |||
| Conservation of the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros in Borneo | WWF Japan | |||
| Japan | Global Warming | Program to utilize forest energy and educate the next generation | Greenwood Outdoor Experience Educational Center | Japan |
| Constant greenhouse gas monitoring at Mt. Fuji weather station (research into mitigating damage from lightning strikes) | Valid Utilization of Mount Fuji Weather Station | |||
| Purification of Lake Suwa | Wagen | |||
| Biodiversity Conservation | Awareness building activities for basic research and countermeasures for invasive raccoon species that threaten biodiversity | Kansai Wildlife Research Association | ||
| Creation of a sustainable lifecycle for mulberry resources (and deployment in nearby regions) | Mulberry Club Chubu | |||
| Forestation of water reservoirs and aid for the Tohoku area | Donguri Mongori | |||
| Building an organic agriculture model for biodiversity conservation in the Echigawa Area, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture (and related educational activities) | Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development | |||
| Creating habitats for cranes in Aso City, Kumamoto prefecture, and Seiyo City, Ehime prefecture | Wild Bird Society of Japan | |||
| Fostering communities that coexist with nature | Maruyama Project | |||
| Vegetation recovery project (including endangered species) on Kurosawa moor | Forestry Research Club Umaji | |||
| Monitoring of mountains, rivers, and coastal areas around Toyokawa river basin | Association to Save Shallow Water and Tidal Flat in Asia | |||
| Preservation of indigenous species and removal of invasive species in the Katsushika ward waterfront area | Mizumoto Nature Project | |||
| Environmental program in Akita aiming to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020 | Conference of Earth Environment from Akita | |||
| Multi-partner survey of marine health indicator species | Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center | |||
| Protect the treasure-trove of dragonflies! Izunuma and Uchinuma wetlands dragonfly conservation project | The Miyagi Prefectural Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Foundation | |||
| Conservation of endangered butterflies (Luehdorfia japonica and Coenonympha oedippus arothius) | Kakogawa’s satoyama and Gifu butterfly network |
