presents episode 4, as they travel to Tuvalu, Kenya and Egypt to discover how communities are implementing adaptation solutions to protect coastal zones and infrastructure, ensure food security and preserve nature for people and the planet. To fight climate change, we need to slash greenhouse gas emissions. But we also have to find ways to adapt to the impacts already happening and to come.
UNDP
From discarded bags at the bottom of the Mariana Trench to microscopic particles in human placentas, plastics are ubiquitous. This material has permeated every facet of our lives, but at the same time, our current pattern of plastic production and consumption has driven a dramatic increase in plastic waste worldwide. Today, plastic pollution poses a serious threat not only to the environment but also to human health. The ) is implementing the Plastics Innovation Programme to foster knowledge-sharing among 14 countries and promote innovative solutions to tackle plastic waste. On International Mother Earth Day (22 April) the GEF Small Grants Programme team has prepared a highlight that showcases successful projects.
In Asia's forests, tigers are endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and human-wildlife conflict, warns the 51³Ô¹Ï Development Programme (). Despite these challenges, tiger populations have started to rise in five countries, including India, Bhutan, and Nepal. The Royal Government of Bhutan is hosting the to catalyze $1 billion for tiger conservation and innovative fiscal models to support investments in tiger landscapes.
More than 117,000 plastic bottles will have been used by the time you finish reading this sentence, directly impacting your health and the environment. More than 99% of plastic comes from fossil fuels, which is at odds with the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. However, a recent highlights that the world can cut plastic pollution by 80 percent by 2040. To achieve this goal, the 51³Ô¹Ï Development Program () suggests that we can reform fossil fuel subsidies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, promote circular economy practices, invest in innovation, and empower waste workers to improve plastic their livelihoods.
The war in Gaza has led to a dire humanitarian crisis, affecting the lives of 2.2 million people. More than 1.7 million Palestinians are living in makeshift tents or temporary shelters amidst heaps of waste, aggravating a looming environmental and public health crisis. Solid waste management has become an urgent need in Gaza that requires immediate support and solutions. The 51³Ô¹Ï Development Programme () in collaboration with , has launched an initiative to support solid waste management in the southern governorates of Rafah, Khan Yunis, and the Middle Area, helping to mitigate environmental hazards and address public health concerns in southern Gaza communities.
Solange Memadji, displaced by conflict in Chad, finds solace and community in Baltram, where integration initiatives empower displaced individuals to rebuild their lives and foster unity within their host community.
The Zukpuri Community Resource Management Area in Ghana's Upper West Region is a protected area that aims to conserve biodiversity, improve local livelihoods through sustainable practices, and preserve the cultural and medicinal heritage of the region. It was created in 2021 through a partnership between the Upper West Traditional Healer’s Association, rural communities, and traditional authorities, with support from the implemented by the 51³Ô¹Ï Development Programme (). The project aims to conserve biodiversity, improve local livelihoods through sustainable practices, and preserve the cultural and medicinal heritage of the region.
Watch the 2050 forecast , created in partnership with the and The Weather Channel. The campaign is part of ’s efforts to boost awareness on the impacts of climate change and to mobilize people around the world to take meaningful climate action for future generations.
It is estimated that around 60 million individuals are currently at risk of encountering mines and other explosive ordnance. Many of these individuals live in areas where conflicts have officially ended years or even decades ago, while others are in regions where wars are still ongoing. The active participation of women in addressing the challenges presented by explosive ordnance is now being recognized as a crucial factor in unlocking the sustainable development benefits of mine action. Read the testimonies of women who have cleared mines in Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Laos PDR after receiving training conducted by the 51³Ô¹Ï Development Programme ().
The horrific atrocities committed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) when it invaded Syria and Iraq in 2014 shocked the world. Thousands of Iraqi women were left to bring up children alone, separated from families, and living in poverty in displacement or refugee sites. By working closely with the government, the 51³Ô¹Ï Development Programme () has prepared communities in Anbar, Ninewa, Salah al-Din, and Kirkuk to accept 9,000 ISIL-affiliated families back into their societies.
Trees communicate and cooperate through underground networks of fungi known as the 'wood-wide web'. Mycorrhizal connections facilitate complex ecological systems that represent the best of innovation. , an effort between the Malaysian Government and international bodies to conserve biodiversity, worked to restore contiguous forest landscapes throughout the Central Forest Spine. As part of these efforts, a forest tree nursery programme was initiated in 2022 to support the national social forestry initiative. The indigenous community in Air Banun Orang Asli Resettlement, in Malaysia, was selected as the central village to host this initiative, where the main nursery holds 10,000 seedlings of forest tree species.
Women are paid less than men in the same jobs; they do most of the unpaid household and care work and often have difficulty accessing finance and other wealth-creating resources.
Amira's coffee cupping initiative in Yemen not only preserves the nation's rich coffee heritage but also empowers women to become integral players in enhancing the industry's quality, economic growth, and global recognition.
Ana Andrić appreciates how women in Herzegovina are active in all segments of mountain development, from the organization of excursions, to mountaineering, skiing and other activities. Ana, along with hundreds of women from Herzegovina area have been hiking through the Čvrsnica and Prenj mountain ranges for more than a decade, striving to restore life in its villages and contribute to the promotion and preservation of these mountain idylls. She knows that achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. But the trend of underrepresentation of women in the labour market in Bosnia and Herzegovina is constantly present. The ‘Sustainability of Protected Areas’ project, financed by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by in Bosnia and Herzegovina is working to protect nature and biodiversity beyond mountains.
Women are paid less than men, do most of the unpaid household and care work, and often struggle to access finance. To address this situation, governments, institutions, and development actors must commit to transformative change. This includes introducing fairer tax systems, promoting women in leadership, addressing unpaid care work, expanding employment opportunities, and dismantling policies that hold women back. UNDP's helps institutions create equal opportunities. With the as our guide, and partners are working to unleash women's economic power. This International Women's Day, let's invest in women and accelerate progress.