OREANDA-NEWS. Over a period of sixteen years, the Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program has supported pragmatically minded environmental projects conducted by NPOs and other private non-profit groups. With the announcement of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 in October this year, the company has shown that it remains committed to improving the environment through environmental technology and education.

Between April 1 this year and March 31, 2016, Toyota is adding 26 new projects to the 304 projects in 53 countries and regions that have already received support under the Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program. A ceremony will be held in December in Toyota City, where representatives of the selected projects will be presented with grant certificates.

The 26 new projects were chosen from a field of 100 applicants under the broad themes of biodiversity conservation and global warming.

Initial screening and selection were conducted by an expert committee. Projects were vetted based on their sustainability, scalability, and ability to meet local needs. The ten non-Japanese projects awarded grants include an initiative to promote the sustainable use of forest biomass energy in Mozambique. Meanwhile, the sixteen Japan-based projects include research into countermeasures for invasive raccoon species, and a wetlands dragonfly conservation project.

Next spring, a meeting will be held to report on the selections. In the meantime, Toyota offers its congratulations to the recipients and to all those who applied.