EarthAction

Sir David Attenborough as the recipient of the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today that Sir David Attenborough will receive the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to research, documentation, and advocacy for the protection of nature and its restoration.

Sir David Attenborough’s career as a broadcaster, natural historian, author, and environmental advocate spans over seven decades. He is most famous for his work with the BBC’s Natural History Unit, including landmark documentaries such as Life on Earth, the Living Planet, Our Planet and Our Blue Planet. In addition, his renowned advocacy work to preserve and restore biodiversity, transition to renewable energy, mitigate climate change and promote plant-rich diets contribute to the realization of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The award is the UN’s highest environmental honour, and celebrates those who have dedicated their lives to tackling crises like climate change, species loss and pollution. To date, the Champions of the Earth has recognized 106 laureates, ranging from world leaders to technology inventors. They include 26 world leaders, 64 individuals and 16 groups or organizations.

The Press Release may be viewed here: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/david-attenborough-receives-uns-most-distinguished-environment-award

Feature Story may be viewed here: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/un-recognizes-broadcaster-attenborough-lifetime-achievement-award

David Attenborough exclusive interview with UNEP ED Inger Andersen: https://youtu.be/2YoLsUt4F58

Profile Video: https://youtu.be/Vlvn23rSt0M

Should you have any questions or further clarification please contact UNEP´s Director of Communication, Mr. Daniel Cooney, [email protected]

Radhika Ochalik

Secretary of Governing Bodies

Director, Governance Affairs Office

UN Environment Programme

Move the money from nuclear weapons to climate protection and SDGs

In less than 10 days, we will start counting out $1 trillion, the nuclear weapons budget for the next 10 years. We will 'reallocate this to climate protection and the sustainable development goals.'

The main counting will be in New York with satellite countings also in London, New Mexico, Philadelphia and Wellington.

This event will highlight the Move the Nuclear Weapons Money campaign and actionspeople can take to cut nuclear weapons budgets, end investments in nuclear weapons corporations and re-direct these budgets and investments to better things.

The campaign is building excitement amongst legislators, religious leaders, peace and disarmament campaigners, climate activists, artists, musicians, athletes, youth and others. Below are inspring words from a few supporters of the campaign. This update we feature:

• Cora Weiss (USA), UN Representative for International Peace Bureau, Co-organiser of the 1 million person anti-nuclear rally in Central Park NY 1982;
  
• Erika Simpson (Canada), President of the Canadian Peace Research Association;
  
  
• Bruno B. Vallelunga (Canada), Song-writer including 'Who will stop the Nuclear Clock?' (IglooSongs2018, Click here for Spotify version);
  
• Nicole Ponce (Philippines), Core team member of the I am Climate Justice movement;
  
  
• Anwarul K. Chowdhury (Bangladesh/USA), Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Founder of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace;
  
  
• Mridul Upadhyay (India), Co-founder of Youth for Peace International, Asia Coordinator of UNOY Peacebuilders;
  
• Natasha Shokri (Malaysia/Iran), UNESCO Youth Peace Ambassador;
  
• David C. Hall (USA), Past-President of Physicians for Social Responsibility;
  
• Ravinder Kaur Nijjar (UK), Chair Religions for Peace UK Women of Faith Network, Former Co-Chair Religions for Peace European Women of Faith Network;
  
• Earl Turcotte (Canada), Chair of Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons;
  
• Shazia Rafi (Pakistan/USA), Convener AirQualityAsia, Former Secretary-General of Parliamentarians for Global Action.
  

Plastic Pollution Deadline

We need to crank up the pressure against Nestlé's plastic pollution before April 11!

Tell Nestlé to protect communities and wildlife - ditch single-use plastic packaging today!

SIGN NOW

Can you believe that the world's largest food company has built its entire business model on throwaway packaging?

It makes me furious, but it's true. 98% of Nestlé's products are sold in single-use packaging.

We need Nestlé to make big changes this year and that means we need to crank up the pressure before the corporation's annual shareholder meeting in two weeks.

ADD YOU NAME to demand Nestlé make real commitments to protect our oceans and communities by phasing out single-use plastic packaging! We need hundreds of thousands of signatures before April 11 to make Nestlé feel the heat.

There is no time to lose. Have you heard that every minute a truckload of plastic enters the oceans? Corporations - starting with Nestlé - must reverse their tie of plastic pollution or even more communities, whales, sea turtles and birds will suffer.

I know people-power can force Nestlé to go from pollution to solutions. How?

• We're building off your successes. Some of the biggest food service and supermarket companies are stepping away from plastics and that will put pressure on corporations like Nestlé.
• Nestlé is already feeling the heat. Because millions of people like you have already spoken out. Nestlé has finally acknowledged that recycling alone won't solve the plastic pollution crisis. Now it's up to you to make sure Nestlé goes beyond greenwashing and makes real commitments to phase out single-use plastic. It knows its reputation is at stake.
• We're building a global movement. Millions of people, and dozens of organizations, from every continent, are posed to take creative action calling out Nestlé. That is a force that cannot be ignored!

But for your voice to have the biggest impact, I need you to speak out right now before Nestlé's Annual General Meeting for shareholders on April 11. This is the most important day of the year, and our biggest chance to expose its massic plastic pollution.

Sign the petition to Nestlé today!

By taking action today, you will help change history. Nestlé is such a big corporation that commitments to phasing out single-use plastic will shift the entire industry.

You can make Nestlé - and other mega-corporations - see that breaking free from plastic isn't a passing trend, but a movement that won't stop until we have a circular economy based on reuse, instead of waste. It won't happen unless you start taking action right now.

Thanks for all you do,

Annie Leonard

Executive Director, Greenpeace USA

P.S. Nestlé's Annual General Meeting for shareholders is April 11. This is the perfect time to crank up the pressure on Nestlé. Sign the petition to demand Nestlé immediately move toward phasing out single-use plastics and embracing systems of refill and reuse.

Learn more at Greenpeace

Handcarts vs. Drudgery

Photo from KoruCarts Facebook Page

Some 40 million people (mostly women and children) frequently carry heavy loads, often to the detriment of their health, security, education and development (UNDP). 37% of Africa's population is at least 30 minutes away from a water source (WEDO).

Many organisations are drilling for water, and providing pumps closer to communities, though this can produce mechanical and social problems of its own. The water must still be contained and carried, often more frequently than before.

What can we do to reduce the load-carrying drudgery that is impeding progress for so many?

Supermarkets provide us with shopping carts so we can easily gather and carry our goods. Would it not be reasonable and appropriate, if the load-carriers were provided with their own form of shopping cart, a durable handcart?

Unfortunately, such handcarts are rarely available in areas where they are most needed, and wheelbarrows make a poor substitute.

Non-profit KoruCarts were created to - 

• Design and test a range of suitable and acceptable handcarts.
• Provide handcart-related advise and technical services.
• Promote the concept of handcart distribution for developmental purposes.
• Establish partnerships with governments and humanitarian organisations.

We now offer a range of handcart designs that you can import or have made locally.

This is the steel KoruCart Alpha model, which can be made in four capacities and wheel sizes -

Other styles and materials are available, including sheet-metal and wickerwork.

Please consider how EarthAction and KoruCarts could defeat drudgery, using handcarts.

You can contact KoruCarts at [email protected]

READ MORE

 

Let's Talk About Malnutrition: The Case of Cameroon

According to the National Institute of Statistics, 33 percent of children under the age of 5 in Cameroon suffer from malnutrition, 14 percent of them extremely malnourished.

These numbers are immense and need to be addressed in light of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for member states to halve the proportion of those suffering from hunger by 2015.  The MDGs, however, should not be the only “incentive” to create change in Cameroon. 

The Ministry of Public Health believes that malnutrition in Cameroon is closely tied to its climate, but for many, it is simply access to food that continues to make this percentage so high. 

Infant malnutrition is especially high in the Far North and North Regions because of lack of food during the lean season (mid-June to end of August).  In the same way, much of the food consumed is low in essential nutrients. 

“Cameroon is known to be a food-sufficient country. This means that the country doesn’t need to import food as it produces enough to feed its population. Poverty is preventing the Cameroonian people from having access to a varied and balanced diet,” states Celine Essengue, Enfants Cameroun (IPS News).

A UNICEF estimate shows that roughly 58,000 children under the age of 5 are at risk of severe malnutrition and 145,000 children at the same age range will suffer

“Infant malnutrition is also due to the fact that very few infants are breastfed exclusively for the first six months after birth,” states Dr. Sa’a, Director of health promotion in Ministry of Health (IPS News). 

What we are facing is a healthcare issue, a poverty issue, and a lack of education.  It is time to take a stand and make change. 

 

Story thanks to IPS News, http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/07/ 

 

Women, Water, Life

"Women carrying water in Jaisalmer" - Photo credit: sushmita balasubramani from flickr (Used under the Creative Commons Attribution License)

With the heat on her back and dryness in her mouth, she walks. She walks for miles and miles each day to parch another day’s thirst.

"Water management is a key factor in the global battle to remove the scourge of extreme poverty and to build secure and prosperous lives for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world." - World Health Organization, 2007

Water is life and we live on a water planet, though it doesn’t appear that way in the many places we call home. With the twin problems of desertification and commdification escalating, water is becoming more and more of a scarce resource. One area hit especially hard is sub-Saharan Africa where the weight of this burden disproportionately affects women and affects the family at large. It is estimated that women in sub-Saharan Africa collectively spend about 40 billion hours a year collecting water. 

There is a direct connection between inadequate access to water and illness. The difficulties of the long and ardous walks that must be made by women to procure water is componded by the weight of the water on their shoulders. They are vulnerable to attacks or fatigue. Even after the journey is over, another is soon on its way. And for all the effort, the water may easily be polluted.

Inadequate access to water means fewer safe options. It means there’s less water available for hygiene and sanitation. It means drinking polluted water, even when the risk of death or disease is high. 

This is a major issue that goes beyond Sub-Saharan Africa. It affects hundreds of millions of people living around the world who do not have access to safe and local water supplies. But these deaths and struggles are easily avoidable with the right amount of action and support. A study conducted by Stanford University found that reducing the amount of time spent walking by just fifteen minutes can reduce the illnesses of children significantly.

Time is the most valuable currency and it is spilled away. Every day, individuals spend 3-10 hours carrying water. This adds up to billions of hours a year of useful energy that evaporate from the world. This time spent walking for water is time that’s stolen from the community, from the family, and from the individual. Less time spent worrying about obtaining necessities would mean more time spent working towards greater fulfillments of life. It means time spent caring for children, pursuing education or employment. Time is key to breaking the cycle that keeps people in poverty. We can start to make this better today, and be a “ripple” of change.

Action:

• Write to your member of congress for support on this global water crises, only through pressure from the public comes the push for change: http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1747&ea.campaign.id=13493

• You can also make donations that will directly fund water projects around the globe: http://www.charitywater.org/projects/map/ 

• Learn more about this issue, because it begins with awareness: http://www.unwomen.org/how-we-work/csw/csw-56/facts-and-figures/

 

Chris Daly is the Promotions Intern at Earth Action. After high school his passion for social justice began with the two gap years he took before college. He worked for the AmeriCorps program City Year in Boston and New York City where he did community organizing and civic engagement work. It was this work that made him realize this was what he wanted to do with his life but felt limited without furthering his education. His focus is on Latin American studies, anthropology, and human rights work while also enjoying interests including bicycling, blacksmithing, street art, and cooking. 

 

"There will not be global security without food security."

"Yatani Ali, a pastoralist, crouches at the edge of the crater at Goraye in Oromiya region as cattle, goats and camels make their way down to the salty wells at the bottom." (Photograph copyright Andrew Heavens, 2006)

Luc Gnacadja, Executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, said, "If we cannot find a solution to this problem... in 2025, close to 70 percent could be affected."

That was in 2009. The problem is as real today as it was three years ago.

In honor of World Food Day, EarthAction is posting some of its best materials on desertification. We cannot achieve global security without food security, and we cannot achieve food security without combating desertification.

Primer on Citizen Advocacy and Desertification

Released earlier this year in conjunction with the The Global Citizens Initiative (TGCI) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Primer is a short, snappy, and useful guide designed to aid the efforts of citizen groups and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) interested in promoting policies and practices that help stop the spread of desertification. 

Click here to read and download the entire Primer for free!

So Much Depends on So Little

Watch this simple but powerful demonstration by Yukie Hori of the UNCCD about just how little we live off of, and just how necessary it is to protect it.

 

 

DESERTIFICATION - Protecting the Fertility of the Earth, July 1995

In 1995, EarthAction released an action alert on desertification to it's international partners. Sadly, after more than 15 years, much of that action alert remains relevant.

Quote from the Action Alert:

"  * When poor farmers or herders can no longer produce enough food, their lives are in danger. Millions of dollars are diverted into emergency aid. Waves of environmental refugees are driven to the cities of developing and developed nations, undermining political and social stability.

    * Wild species native to the drylands are being lost forever. Many of the world's staple grain crops were originally wild dry land species. When the natural dry land flora disappears, we lose the chance to discover new crops that can help to feed humanity.

    * Even if we buy our food in supermarkets, we all live off the land and share in the bounty of the Earth. When the supply of fertile land is shrinking and the world population is growing by 90 million people every year, it is a problem for all of us."

Read our original action alert here, then check out the UNCCD's website to see what reamins to be done.

 

UN Report Warns Ecological Foundations that Support Food Security, Including Biodiversity, Are Being Undermined

Damage to Ecological Basis Can Be Halted Through Sustainable Measures in Context of Green Economy

From http://www.usda.gov/oc/photo/95cs0739.htm, public domain

Nairobi/Hyderabad, 16 October 2012 – Nairobi/Hyderabad, 15 October 2012 – The aim of achieving food security across the globe will become increasingly elusive unless countries factor the planet's nature-based services into agricultural and related planning, a report released today from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) says.

Safeguarding the underlying ecological foundations that support food production, including biodiversity will be central if the world is to feed seven billion inhabitants, climbing to over nine billion by 2050 argues the study Avoiding Future Famines: Strengthening the Ecological Basis of Food Security through Sustainable Food System.

Inefficiencies along the food delivery chain further complicate the challenge, and the report highlights that an estimated one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, amounting to 1.3 billion tonnes per year.