Five Peruvian projects propel Peru to the top of regional sustainability rankings at the 2026 Green Awards

Five Peruvian initiatives that are already yielding measurable results aim to position the country at the forefront of regional sustainability. Peru is thus among the countries with the highest number of finalists out of a selection of 52 initiatives from 12 countries. The projects will compete in the international round of the 2026 Green Awards, which will take place October 19–22 in Cuenca, Ecuador. 

Recover 13 million cubic meters of water per year using ancestral knowledge, advancing climate action in Machu Picchu, reusing wastewater in the middle of the desert, and mobilizing more than US$$40 million for rural families These are some of the impacts of the selected Peruvian initiatives.

For Gustavo Manrique, president and co-founder of Premios Verdes, this selection provides insight into the direction in which sustainability is moving in the region: 

“The 52 finalists offer a snapshot of the solutions Latin America is developing to address its major challenges. We are seeing ancestral knowledge being revived in response to the water crisis, new ways to finance sustainability, technology applied to conservation, and urban models that address climate change. More than just a list of projects, this selection showcases a region that is developing solutions rooted in its own territories.”

AQUARESTAURA: Restoring Water Using Ancient Knowledge

AQUAFONDO | Freshwater Category

The Project recover ammunition, ancestral systems used to channel and infiltrate water in the mountains of Lima, and combines them with the restoration of qochas, the conservation of bofedales, and other nature-based solutions. By 2025, it reports 13 million m³ of water recharge per year, 73,000 m³ of water stored annually, and more than 3,900 hectares of restored ecosystems, with an estimated reach of more than 225,000 people in Lima.

EXPERIENCE PARACAS: Reusing Water in the Middle of the Desert

CONVIVE REAL ESTATE GROUP | Category: Resilient Cities and Communities 

The project involves the development of an urban community in Pisco that reuses 100 % of its wastewater for irrigation, avoiding the use of drinking water in their green spaces. The initiative reaches a 71 % water conservation projects, incorporating 78,394 native plants, 14 parks, and nearly 27,000 m² of green infrastructure, benefiting approximately 5,000 residents.

MACHU PICCHU: Climate Action from One of the World's Most Iconic Destinations

GREEN INITIATIVE | Resilient Cities and Communities Category 

The Extraordinary Story of Machu Picchu – Climate- and Nature-Positive Action in Tourism, presents a model that seeks to reconcile one of the world's most renowned tourist destinations with climate action.

Machu Picchu is featured in the selection as the the world's first tourist destination to receive Carbon Neutral certification. Between 2019 and 2022, it reached a verified emissions reduction of 18,771 TP3T It implemented measures that include biodiesel production, waste pyrolysis, sustainable transportation, and the replanting of one million native trees.

GREEN FINANCE THAT TRANSFORMS LIVES

CAJA CUSCO | Finance Category

The model integrates financial inclusion, sustainability, and climate resilience for rural families, particularly in the high Andean and Amazonian regions. To date, has benefited more than 15,700 families and mobilized more than US$$40 million in 12 departments, promoting responsible agricultural practices and financial education.

GREEN FINANCING FOR MICROFINANCE

FINANCIERA CONFIANZA | Finance Category

The initiative channels resources to microbusinesses and the agricultural sector in order to fund up to ten types of sustainable economic activities, From energy efficiency to organic farming. Its digital model allows loans to be managed directly in the field, reducing geographic barriers to accessing financing.

NOW, THE CHALLENGE IS FOR PERU TO GET TO KNOW THEM

The five projects will advance to the international stage of 2026 Green Awards, which will take place from October 19–22 in Cuenca, Ecuador. There, they will have opportunities to network, build relationships, and gain international exposure, ahead of the ceremony where the winners in the ten categories will be announced.

Regardless of the contest’s results, their participation in this stage helps bring Peruvian solutions—which are already making an impact and can serve as inspiration, be replicated, and scaled up in other parts of the region—to the international stage.

The next challenge is to raise awareness of these initiatives within Peru and enable them to connect with companies, institutions, and investors who are interested in helping to expand their impact, create new opportunities for collaboration, and scale up these solutions. Because the country has the talent and ideas capable of driving transformation; the challenge lies in connect that potential with those who can help drive it forward and take it further.

Thus, these five initiatives are not only competing for international recognition: They represent Peru's talent and capacity to develop sustainable solutions that make an impact and open up new opportunities for the country.