Drawing from a recently published book by Dr Richard Munang, Regional Climate Change Coordinator for Africa at UN Environment (UNEP) titled “Making Africa Work Through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism”, the key take-aways of the inaugural event were: Africa is at a demographic and development tipping point Currently, Africa’s population stands at almost 16 per cent of the world’s total population. By 2050, the United Nations projects that Africa will account for half of the world population growth.

For COP 23, UN Volunteers has recruited more than 650 volunteers to support a wide range of operational tasks throughout the event. They all attended a full-day training on October 30. Follow the involvement of volunteers during COP 23 here (hover over the image and scroll down):

For COP 23, UN Volunteers has recruited more than 650 volunteers to support a wide range of operational tasks throughout the event. They all attended a full-day training on October 30. Follow the involvement of volunteers during COP 23 here (hover over the image and scroll down):

The UN Climate Change Conference COP 23 is taking place in Bonn, Germany, between 6 and 17 November. UNV is also present in different ways to make sure volunteerism is part of the conversation around the protection of the environment and the fight against climate change.

The Global Environment Facility project on which I am working endorses the "farmer-field-school" approach to train farmers in how to adapt to climate change. It is an outdoor school where learning and sharing takes place through hands-on practical training.

Harare, Zimbabwe: When Amy Wickham, an international UN Volunteer, joined the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Zimbabwe, she didn't know what to expect. Yet this experience changed her life. "The experience and exposure that I've got since I started as a volunteer has been phenomenal", she says. "The ownership that I've been given over the projects, as well as the time and responsibility that I've been given from professionals that I've worked with has been fantastic."

When Amy Wickham, an international United Nations Volunteer, signed up to work with UNICEF in Zimbabwe, she didn't know what to expect. Yet this experience changed her life. "The experience and exposure that I've got since I started as a volunteer has been phenomenal", she says. "The ownership that I've been given over the projects, as well as the time and responsibility that I've been given from professionals that I've worked with has been fantastic."

UNV has made a commitment to protect the environment and take action against climate change. The mitigation of negative effects, risk reduction, environmental management, adequate climate-change responses, better access to natural resources and food security, all require an integrated approach from a large scope of stakeholders. UNV's efforts encompass activities on people-centered and grassroots level to national and international campaigns.

When UNDP Administrator Helen Clark toured China on a mission in late August, two national UN Volunteers greeted her during her field visit to a pilot sustainable forest management project site in Koutou, a village near Beijing. 

A famous Arab proverb states, "The 1,000 miles walk starts with one step." In the case of southern Morocco, local communities of the Iguiouaz oases and UN Volunteers have been making progressive strides in adapting to climate change to protect their environment. The population of this region relies mostly on farming, arboriculture and livestock farming, but fertile land is scarce when rain is infrequent. To address this situation, 600 community members have mobilized to strengthen the ecosystem's resilience to climate change and increase the adaptive capacities of the communities.