Development Market Finalists

February 21, 2006. The Development Marketplace in partnership with the GEF has announced the finalists for the 2006 Global Competition, themed “Innovations in Water, Sanitation and Energy Services for Poor People.” The 119 finalists, representing 55 different countries, were selected from a pool of over 2,500 applicants. The finalists will have an opportunity to receive funding for their ideas from an estimated US$5 million award pool at the 2006 Global Development Marketplace, to be held May 8 and 9 at World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC.

How they were chosen

The search for innovative proposals around the theme of Water, Sanitation, and Energy Services has relied on the indispensable contribution of over 240 assessors from 56 different organizations around the world. The assessors, with expertise ranging from water filtration and renewable energy to community involvement and private sector development, participated in a rigorous review process which consisted of three rounds of meetings to select this year’s finalists.

A Broad Range of Environmental Proposals

Finalist proposals range from small-scale phytoremediation of surface water for human consumption and the design of locally constructed wetlands, to the use of clean renewable biogas for heat generation and transportation; and from the solar distillation of seawater for local community consumption to the provision of locally-produced biomass briquettes as alternatives to fuelwood. This is a snapshot of the GEF-eligible finalists that will be on display at the Marketplace.

Further information

List of finalists