The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) granted special consultative status to the ISKCON Govardhan Ecovillage. Consultative status is an accreditation framework that benefits both the United Nations and the NGOs. Consultative arrangements with UNCCD will enable the UNCCD to secure expert information or advice from organizations having special competence in the subjects for which consultative arrangements are made, and, on the other hand, to enable international, regional, sub-regional and national organizations that represent important elements of public opinion to express their views. Globally around 599 organizations and in India around 90 organizations have accreditations to UNCCD.  

Consultative Status is an apt forum where political will can be significantly influenced and directed towards areas of critical importance. This will serve GEV an opportunity to protect our mother nature who has nourished everyone for centuries.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme decision-making body for UNCCD and is comprised of ratifying governments and regional economic integration organizations, such as the European Union. 

Govardhan Ecovillage (https://ecovillage.org.in/) is a UNWTO Eco tourism award winning model farm community established to showcase how to live in harmony and respect with people, nature and the divine proven as a Symbiotic Sustainable Development Model. This SSDM has been recognized by UNEP as synergistic solution for SDG’s and climate change in its global challenge program. 

GEV operates with ‘Hub and Spoke Model’. GEV with hub approach has successfully adapted and implemented various green technologies on its 100 acres campus. Sustainability initiatives in its campus includes Organic Farming with unique collection of rare seed bank, solar energy, platinum-rated green buildings, pyrolysis plant, soil bio-technology plant, biogas plant, rainwater harvesting with over 10,000 liters capacity.  

GEV with is working with 70+ tribal villages to make them sustainable thus impacting 1.5 million+ lives. Beneficiaries includes over 100,000 cataract patients, 9,000+ student beneficiaries from 24 schools, 7,000+ communities with water resource development initiative, 300+ women self-help groups being supported. 

GEV has been conferred with 34 national and international recognitions which includes many prestigious awards as International Green Apple Award, IAA Olive Crown Award, Asian Sustainability Leadership Award, SKOCH Renaissance and GRIHA Platinum Award and also Limca Record for converting 4 acres of wasteland into cultivable land.