Washington, DC, May 25, 2005—Thirty-one environmental entrepreneurs from around the world walked away with nearly US$4 million in grants from the World Bank’s 2005 Development Marketplace Global Competition. Their ideas ranged from transforming discarded charcoal dust into low-cost, clean burning fuel briquettes in Kenya to re-using cleansing water from mosques for irrigation in water-scarce Yemen.

“The prize money will go to our fishermen. I will make as many as 160,000 crab pots to give all to our fishermen so they can comply with the law,” said Alfonso Gamboa from the Philippines whose project “Sustainable Use of the Blue Crab” was among the winners.

Entitled “Innovations for Livelihoods in a Sustainable Environment,” the 2005 Marketplace reflects the World Bank’s commitment to promote environmentally and socially responsible growth.  Poor people directly depend on natural resources for their livelihoods and are severely affected by environmental degradation.

“The Development Marketplace gives us a chance to meet a lot of people who are on the front lines of bringing ideas and understanding that would never be thought of in Washington,  London or Paris. We are tremendously grateful to the finalists and energized by our relationship,” said James D. Wolfensohn, the World Bank president, who will end his 10-year term next week, in his opening remarks.

The Development Marketplace’s approach complements the World Bank’s broader work by focusing on grassroots initiatives and working directly with local organizations that implement projects on the ground. “I was really inspired by the creativity and passion that goes into these projects.  These innovative solutions will hopefully be expanded through not only World Bank projects, but other development-oriented institutions,” Warren Evans, World Bank Director of the Environment Sector, said about all of the finalists.

More than 2,600 applicants from 136 countries responded to the call for proposal, demonstrating the huge of volume of innovative, local solutions to promote environmental conservation and poverty alleviation.

Seventy-eight finalists came to Washington, DC for the two-day competition to showcase their unique ideas to bring renewable energy to small communities, reduce air and water pollution, promote sustainable agriculture, and raise environmental awareness.

“If all we do is more of the same and we just want to make them bigger, we will miss out on huge opportunities to make the world a better place. The world will be a poorer place if we lose the ability to look at creative individuals and small projects that can actually change the world," said Michael Wright, MacArthur Foundation Area Director for Conservation and Sustainable Development.

The Marketplace’s Knowledge Exchange program also gave the finalists an opportunity to learn more about other funding options, share ideas, learn from each other, interact with World Bank staff and other potential funders.

“It’s marvelous opportunity to be here. It’s great to meet so many people and suddenly the doors are opened to different types of projects and you’re also recognized for what you’ve done so far,” said Vesna Kolar from Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose “Short Solution for Pollution” project was one of the winners.

There were 34 judges from different organizations, including National Geographic, USAID, Conservational International, World Conservation Union, the United Nations Environment Program, and the World Bank, as well as previous winners.

“For the first time, the Marketplaces’ external partners—Global Environment Facility (GEF), the MacArthur Foundation and Conservation International—contributed to half of this year’s award pool,” said John Wilton, World Bank Vice-President of Strategy, Risk and Financial Management who oversees the Development Marketplace program.

The Development Marketplace started in 1998 as an internal Bank competition to fund innovative ideas that were not picked up through the usual funding system. Over the last seven years it has evolved into a global event that has awarded nearly US$40 million for 1,000 projects in more than 70 countries through Global Competitions, Country-Level and Regional Development Marketplaces (CDMs).

For more information go to:  www.developmentmarketplace.org.

To view the complete list of the winners, please go to www.developmentmarketplace.org