Thames21 and Enfield Council win global climate award for their Enfield nature-based solutions work

Environmental charity Thames21 and Enfield Council have been named as winners of the prestigious Ashden Awards for climate innovation for their joint work creating nature-based solutions to address flood risk and improve water quality across the Enfield area.

The announcement was made at a global celebration in London on Tuesday 14 November.  

There was strong competition for the awards and Thames21 and Enfield Council were chosen from over 200 applicants for their pioneering work and will receive publicity and support to grow and replicate their innovation.

Thames21 and Enfield Council won the award for ‘Local Nature Recoverers’.

The annual Ashden Awards showcase the ground-breaking initiatives of climate pioneers that are showing what is possible in the shift to a fairer low carbon future. To maximise impact, the climate solutions charity also makes connections with funders, investors, policymakers and others, providing a global platform to showcase their work. 

Thames21 is an environmental charity that works with communities to improve the River Thames and its tributaries. The work that we do is vital to tackle the effects of climate change and support the wildlife and landscape of the River Thames and its tributaries.

Chris Coode, Thames21’s CEO, said: “We are very proud to have won this prestigious award together with our partner Enfield Council.

“I feel that this recognition is a testament to our joint work, but also a mandate to continue working on our vision to create healthy, clean rivers, as outlined in our Five Year Plan.

“We have been working with Enfield Council for more than a decade and this collaboration has been a great success. Through a collaborative effort with local residents and volunteers, we have restored rivers and created new ponds, woods and wetlands to build climate resilience in north London.

“We know that healthy rivers are key to mitigating the most acute effects of climate change, including flooding and water scarcity, as well as for restoring biodiversity and creating beautiful blue-green spaces for people and wildlife.

“Overall, we want to rebuild the bond between communities and their rivers.  We unite communities in their understanding, enjoyment, advocacy, and stewardship of their rivers over the long term.  At the same time, we can deliver powerful social impacts like improved wellbeing, community cohesion, and greater equality of access to good quality green-blue spaces for people to enjoy.”

Thames21 was among winners and runners up from Liverpool to Nairobi, Wales to Peru working in a range of industries, including greening our cities, transforming refugees’ livelihoods, training people for jobs linked to land management and protecting endangered forests.  

Ashden CEO Ashok Sinha said: “This year’s Ashden Award winners prove that people are passionate about creating practical solutions to the climate emergency. Just look at what happens as a result: higher incomes, better health, stronger communities and the creation of new jobs. These brilliant solutions need serious backing from policymakers and investors.”