The Role of Volunteers in Addressing the Climate Crisis
About the discussion group
Across the world, climate change is impacting people’s lives and transforming ecosystems. The climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis. In the last five years, 1.59 billion people have been affected by climate and weather-related disasters; as a result, around 130 million people have been internally displaced.
Aside from the immediate impacts, climate change also brings slow-onset impacts, affecting food security, livelihoods and economies. There is a need for urgent climate action across three dimensions: mitigation to cut carbon emissions; adaptation to reduce climate risks; and loss and damage to address unavoidable climate risks and limits to adaptation. Volunteer interventions at local and global levels continue to drive environmental outcomes and climate action, whether through spontaneous community-based actions or highly specialized support at the global level.
The contribution of volunteering to climate action and community resilience report provides evidence of how volunteers across the world are engaging in actions that help their communities adapt to – and build resilience against – the impacts of climate change. It looks at the different forms and scales of volunteering, with a focus on local volunteering. Volunteerism comes in many forms and contributes in multiple ways to respond to climate change and build community resilience.
This discussion is an open invitation to all stakeholders – volunteers, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers – to share their experiences, good practices, and innovative ideas for harnessing the power of volunteerism to address the climate crisis and build resilient communities.
Key Discussion Points
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response: How are volunteers contributing to disaster risk reduction and emergency response efforts in their communities? Share your experiences and best practices.
- Ecosystem Restoration and Nature-Based Solutions: What initiatives are you involved in that promote ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions? How can we scale up these efforts?
- Sustainable Livelihoods and Community-Based Adaptation: How are volunteers supporting sustainable livelihoods and community-based adaptation strategies? What are some successful examples you have seen?
- Volunteer Engagement in Climate Action Initiatives: What are some of the challenges you face in engaging volunteers in climate action initiatives? How can we better support and resource these efforts?
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In reply to (No subject) by Peter.Devereux
which brings me to this question. How can we effectively harness the potential of volunteers to drive this change? What strategies can be implemented to ensure that volunteer efforts are aligned with broader climate goals?
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tariku@serveglobal.org
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In reply to (No subject) by tarik.@serve
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This highlights the contribution of social media and information technology in mitigating the impact of climate disasters.
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In reply to (No subject) by chengmzhang
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The climate crisis is a big problem, especially caused by industries making things. Look at the ocean cleanup—thousands of tons of plastic waste come from big companies. Climate crisis is not just about heavy rain or floods; it affects everything in nature.
Pakistan struggles with climate problems because cities grow fast, and many trees are cut down. Volunteers, especially young people, are very important for any country. I am proud to be a UN volunteer working for good causes. As a volunteer, I've done many awareness campaigns and helped make policies, like pushing for taxes on tobacco products. Even though it might seem different, these things connect to climate issues in some ways.
I was also part of Imran Khan's Billion Tree Tsunami project, which aimed to plant a billion trees to fight climate chang
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In reply to (No subject) by huzaifamustafa
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In terms of Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response: How are volunteers contributing to disaster risk reduction and emergency response efforts in their communities?
In Ecosystem Restoration and Nature-Based Solutions: What initiatives are you involved in that promote ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions? How can we scale up these efforts?
In Sustainable Livelihoods and Community-Based Adaptation: How are volunteers supporting sustainable livelihoods and community-based adaptation strategies? What are some successful examples you have seen?
In Volunteer Engagement in Climate Action Initiatives: What are some of the challenges you face in engaging volunteers in climate action initiatives? How can we better support and resource these efforts?
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In reply to (No subject) by derek.ngala
Volunteers in Pakistan collaborate with organizations like Edhi, the army, and NDMA for disaster risk reduction and emergency response, including rescue operations during floods, earthquakes, and other disasters.
Ecosystem Restoration and Nature-Based Solutions:
I've been involved in projects in Pakistan focused on reforestation and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Scaling up these efforts requires partnerships and resources to combat deforestation and habitat loss.
Sustainable Livelihoods and Community-Based Adaptation:
Volunteers support sustainable livelihoods through skills training and promoting climate-resilient farming methods. Initiatives like eco-tourism and water management projects help communities adapt to climate change impacts.
Volunteer Engagement in Climate Action Initiatives:
Challenges in Pakistan include limited resources and awareness. Strengthening volunteer engagement requires better training, partnerships with NGOs and government, and improved media coverage to raise awareness and recruit more volunteers.
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It is encouraging to see a growing number of volunteers committed to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 13, which focuses on climate action. These volunteers play a pivotal role in disseminating knowledge about climate mitigation and action. However, it is vital to recognize the potential of older adults, who are often the most vulnerable to extreme temperatures yet possess substantial untapped potential. Currently, most SDG 13 outreach targets younger demographics, particularly university students, with limited initiatives directed at older adults, who may not fully grasp the entire scope of climate action. They are typically accustomed to engaging in simpler sustainable practices like waste sorting and recycling. Survey data indicate that many active older adults have around two hours of leisure time daily, which could be utilized for social and community engagement. Thus, there's a significant opportunity to involve older adults not just as recipients but as active participants in volunteer climate action initiatives.
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