Choosing from some 250 submissions, the jury of the photo competition has selected its winners:
The first prize goes to Mark Levitin for his picture Terraced rice fields of Yuanyang, China
Ernesto Benavides came in second for his photo of a waterpark in Peru.
Voting for the audience choice of all the photos will still be open until 1 December. Visit the photo competition site and have your say.
The Global Landscapes Forum had called for photos reflecting the sustainability of multifunctional landscapes in the face of climate change and development.
Mark Levitin explained that rice terraces require high maintenance and misuse will slowly ruin them. The depicted terraces of Yuanyang, China, are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, which may save them from destruction, but might also turn them into a tourist show.
Ernesto Benavides draws the viewers’ attention to the fact that Lima is the second biggest city in the world that is surrounded by desert. Therefore it constantly faces severe water stress and needs to look for ways to ensure sustainable water use. This problem is reflected in his photo through the stark contrast between the waterpark and the desert.
A total of 24 photographs were selected for an exhibition in Parque Kennedy, Lima, Peru, during the UNFCCC COP20. They will be announced soon.
