Deadline: 7 April 2020
The Riverprize is awarded by the International River Foundation (IRF), a not-for-profit organisation that envisions a future where healthy, resilient rivers support thriving communities, ecosystems and economies. The Foundation’s mission is to build a global community of River Leaders to champion the health and resilience of rivers around the world through the pillars of leadership, collaboration and celebration.
The Australasia Riverprize is generously supported by the Bert & Vera Thiess Foundation as a legacy and recognition of the long-term efforts of the late Bert and Vera Thiess to encourage sustainable management of the world’s rivers. The 2020 Australasia Riverprize will be awarded during the World Rivers’ Day Gala Dinner on Thursday, 24th September at Customs House, Brisbane, QLD Australia.
Riverprize, the world’s most prestigious environmental award, has been awarded since 1999. The award alternates between the International Riverprize which is awarded every second year and a regional Riverprize bringing recognition to organisations (or groups of organisations) who have achieved remarkable outcomes for rivers, river basins and their communities.
The Riverprize aims to inspire the acceleration towards resilient rivers. The Foundation encourages prize winners to think of concepts of future “bankable” or investment-ready projects to achieve the resilience of their rivers and communities. Bankable projects can provide effective solutions to meet the vision of resilience for rivers.
What does it take to win
First awarded in 1999, the Riverprize recognises excellence in river management and restoration. IRF has awarded 20 International and 22 Regional Riverprizes. The key elements for success of the past 20 years of winners include:
- Partnerships and Collaboration;
- Community Mobilisation;
- Holistic Approaches in river management;
- A commitment towards planning, evaluation and monitoring;
- Emphasis on Long-term Sustainability;
- Perseverance to make a difference for rivers.
This year, the Foundation is encouraging applications that reflect a journey towards the resilience of the rivers, including the following:
- A whole-of-system and integrated approach;
- Planning across multiple scales;
- Evaluation and monitoring;
- Actively engaged stakeholders
- Effective institutional arrangements
- River leadership;
- Sound decision making and governance framework.
- Flexible cross-sector solutions
- Embracing/piloting innovation;
- Adaptive, ecosystem-based;
- Reflective and flexible.
- Effective financial mechanisms
- Sufficient financing to implement plans (e.g. investments towards recovery and resilience)
- Incorporates value of social and ecosystem services.
The entry process allows you to reflect on achievements and progress made towards your goals.
Eligibility Criteria
- Organisations, or groups of organisations, responsible for their river and involved in river management, restoration and/or protection can enter. Applications are invited from any river, lake, waterway or wetland, that has demonstrated outstanding achievements in the last two years (although work may have been commenced earlier).
- To be considered for the Australasia Riverprize, the river must be located in:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- New Caledonia
- Papua New Guinea
- Vanuatu
- Solomon Islands
- The size of your organisation, budget or project is not a barrier to winning. The integration of programs, innovations used and most critically, achievements demonstrated towards maintained or improved river ecosystem health and resilience are among the critical features that the Judges will be looking for.
- Who is not eligible to enter?
- Any organisation that has won any Riverprize (International or Regional) in the last 10 years.
- Anyone who does not wish to comply with the Riverprize terms and conditions.
- Any organisation that has been prosecuted for a violation of any environmental, social or commercial law in Australia or overseas in the past 5 years.
Finalists can reapply at any time. Winners of the Australasia Riverprize in one year (e.g. 2020), automatically quality for Stage 2 of the Thiess International Riverprize the following year.
Selection Criteria
- Demonstrated achievements in river / catchment / basin health (30%):
- Adaptive on-ground solutions that make a difference;
- Cross-sectoral solutions;
- Evaluation and monitoring.
- Achievements aligned with a long-term strategic planning and incorporates whole-of-system and integrated approach (20%):
- Collaboration, partnerships and co-investment (20%);
- Stakeholder engagement, communication and outreach (15%);
- Demonstrated commitment to achieving resilience (15%).
For more information, visit https://riverfoundation.org.au/our-programs/riverprize/australasian-riverprize/