"In every community on the planet, volunteers are taking action to support the most vulnerable people, including in the midst of conflict and other humanitarian emergencies. Young volunteers are joining the fight for climate action, pressing Governments, businesses and policymakers to take decisions needed to end this planetary crisis." True to the vision of United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, building climate resilience through community volunteering is also the message of a new report recently published by United Nations Volunteers.
The impacts of climate change on people's lives and ecosystems cannot be ignored and are being felt in every corner of the globe. Not simply an environmental issue, it's a humanitarian crisis.
Shockingly, over the last five years alone, approximately 1.59 billion individuals have been affected by climate and weather-related disasters. As a result, around 130 million people have been forced to leave their homes and have become internally displaced.
The report – The contribution of Volunteering to Climate Action and Community Resilience provides concrete evidence of how volunteers all over the world proactively engage in actions that help communities adapt to, as well as build resilience against, the impacts of climate change. The report contains case studies from Guatemala, India and Kenya.
The effects of climate change have both immediate and long-term consequences that pose serious threats to food security, livelihood and the economy. To tackle this issue effectively, urgent action is required on three fronts: mitigating carbon emissions, adapting to reduce climate risks and addressing the losses caused by unavoidable climate risks.
Volunteers at the local and global levels are critical for climate action – their efforts take different forms, from grassroots community initiatives to specialized support on a global scale.
The report demonstrates the indispensable role of community volunteers in driving climate action and building resilience. Essentially contributing to four key areas: knowledge and capacity building, disaster preparedness and response, mitigation and adaptation measures, and climate governance.
The devastating effects of climate change are real and continue to worsen. A step in the right direction, this report is a valuable resource for United Nations Member States, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations, as it spotlights strengths and recommends areas for improvement on volunteer and climate action.
This report can be found by accessing the UNV Knowledge Portal on Volunteerism.