UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

12/09/2024 | News release | Archived content

CEELA Award: Zero Emission Universities LATAM annnounces its winners in the framework of the digital course Zero Emissions Universities

As part of the Zero Emissions Universities LATAM digital course, developed by CEELA in collaboration with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO IESALC), a competition was held to reward the best proposals for decarbonising university campuses.

This effort reinforces UNESCO IESALC's vision of promoting the transition to sustainable university campuses, which is framed in its Greening Higher Education initiative and the Green Universities pillar. The focus of this initiative emphasises that the greening of institutions requires a holistic approach to environmental sustainability, focusing on leadership, management and administration working together to drive change and create more environmentally responsible universities.

The event brought together 26 universities from Latin America that presented innovative projects in the categories of buildings, energy and mobility.

The jury was:

  • Yuma Inzolia, Director of Capacity Development and Tatiana Molina, Consultant at UNESCO IESALC
  • Daniela Méndez Berlin, Sustainable Buildings Consultant, Climate Strategy and Business Development Department, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
  • Reto Wälchli, Director, Belimo Climate Foundation, Switzerland
  • Roger Walther, Partner, EBP Switzerland, Strategic Director of the CEELA project

The proposals stood out for their holistic approach, combining strategies such as bioclimatic design, shared mobility and renewable energy systems.


Winners of the CEELA 2024 Prize:

  • Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ), Mexico
    Project: Redefining the campus. Leader: Graciela del Carmén Marquéz Santoyo
  • National University of Rio Cuarto (UNRC), Argentina
    Project: Energy transformation. Leader: Cristian Hernan de Angelo
  • National Education Service (SENA), Colombia
    Project: Environmental Rehabilitation. Leader: Luis Fernando Rodríguez Lozano
  • University of Guanajuato, Mexico
    Project: Solar Farm. Leader: Plinio Manuel Martínez Tafolla Hernández
  • Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN), Ecuador
    Project: Green Road. Leader: Estefany Patricia Vizuete Chacón

Acknowledgements and next steps

The winners were announced on 7 December during the webinar 'Impulsa tu proyecto Universitario: Premios y próximos pasos', broadcasted on UNAM's institutional YouTube channel. As a reward, the universities will receive technical support from UNESCO-IESALC, including mentoring and webinars, to improve their projects and facilitate their access to international funding. The process will run from January to June 2025.

Towards transformative impact

With 26 universities from 8 countries participating, the award highlights the potential of higher education institutions as catalysts for the transition to a zero carbon society. The winning proposals will receive technical support from UNESCO IESALC, including mentoring and webinars, to refine their projects and facilitate their access to international funding. The process will run from January to June 2025.

This effort reflects UNESCO-IESALC's vision to empower universities to lead sustainability from their campuses, demonstrating that leadership in research and innovation is essential to achieve lasting environmental impact.
The CEELA Award reinforces the importance of university leadership in climate action. Educational institutions are not only places of learning and innovation, but also models of sustainability. Transforming their campuses into zero-emission spaces is not only an ambitious goal, but a necessity on the path to a more environmentally responsible and engaged society.