Hyundai & UNDP present worldwide sustainable solutions from 30 countries ‘for tomorrow’

Celebrating six months since the launch of the ‘for Tomorrow’ project, Hyundai Motor Company and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released a video featuring three sustainable living solutions from a collection of submissions by grassroots local innovators from around the world.

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Six months ago, Hyundai Motor and the UNDP Accelerator Labs launched ‘for Tomorrow’, an initiative that has sought out, welcomed and enabled people across the globe to help their communities move towards a more livable future. Grassroots innovators from different countries have submitted their solutions via the ‘for Tomorrow’ platform, ranging from hands-on, in-the-field initiatives to digital, data-driven innovations that are answering concrete needs within their communities. 

The video — narrated by ‘for Tomorrow’ ambassador, Jessica Alba — signals the second phase of the project, themed ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’. Innovators will get support from sustainability experts from May. 

“Our partnership with UNDP is very meaningful to us. Corporate citizenship is essential to ensuring a better quality of life for communities everywhere, which is why Hyundai Motor is collaborating with the UNDP to help nurture and advance sustainable social entrepreneurship initiatives and innovations,” said Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor. “In the last six months of our partnership, we’ve seen a lot of solutions that inspire us. I hope these solutions will be the seeds of innovation that will make a better future. In line with our brand vision, ‘Progress for Humanity’, we will continue to contribute to becoming a sustainable society with a sense of corporate citizenship.”

UNDP Accelerator Labs Special Advisor Joseph D’Cruz added, “The goal of ‘for Tomorrow’ is to tap into innovation to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Working with Hyundai Motor, we want to connect with innovators around the world and help find those local solutions that are key to the evolution of topics such as mobility, waste management and urban living. This brings the work done by the 91 Accelerator Labs around the world to a whole new level and extend our reach like never before.” 

“Many people wake up every morning wanting to contribute to positive change and wondering how they can do it,” said project ambassador Alba. “This film is about some of the members of the ‘for Tomorrow’ community who are acting on that desire. It’s about the challenges they face, the solutions they come up with, and how they’re improving life in their communities and beyond.”

The video highlights three inspiring stories in an effort to empower people working to create positive changes in their communities to improve their quality of life through sustainable means: 

Nigeria: Solar Streetlights by Onah Angela Amaka
Using her background in electrical engineering, Amaka built and introduced solar-powered lanterns to her community. Life in Amaka’s town used to slow down when night fell, as many people did not have access to lighting after dark. Her eco-friendly solar lamps have created a positive socioeconomic impact within her community, by improving health and security, allowing children to read longer, as well as creating business opportunities by exposing people to the benefits of solar energy technology.  

Nepal: Green Energy Mobility by Sonika Manandhar and Tiffany Tong
The electric busses of Kathmandu, Nepal — known as safa tempo — have been driven by women for a quarter century. However, these women still face challenges receiving financial support to maintain their transportation services in a male dominated industry. Manandhar and Tong created Green Energy Mobility (GEM), a product that got the attention of the Accelerator Lab in Nepal, to increase financial inclusion for women electric vehicle drivers by making renewable energy-powered public transportation a quality alternative to private vehicles to combat climate change. 

United Kingdom: Real Ice by Cian Sherwin
With melting icebergs causing sea levels to rise, some communities in Wales will need to move away from their current locations within the next 50 years. To fight the effects of climate change, Sherwin and his team have developed and concept-tested prototypes of re-icing machines in an effort to replenish Arctic ice. The technology behind the machines was developed with the assistance of Bangor University, and the finished products will be operated by indigenous people of the Arctic regions. 

Hyundai Motor and UNDP announced that they have received numerous other submissions — not shown in the video — from 30 different countries since the initiative was launched. The project will continue to accept submissions until late this year via www.fortomorrow.org

The solutions will be supplemented and implemented with the connectors such as environmentalist David Mayer de Rothschild and the UNDP Accelerator Labs. The involvement will begin in May and the final results will be announced in September.