Environmental Sustainability of Humanitarian Action.
Margaret Akpa
The environment is fundamental to humanitarian action for two reasons. First, environmental issues are often underlying and contributing factors to humanitarian crises.
Second, humanitarian crises can have negative effects on the environment and risk if managed inadequately or addressed too late.
The integration of environment into humanitarian programmes and operations is critical to ensure the effectiveness, sustainability and accountability of humanitarian operations.
While the immediate priorities for humanitarian actors include saving lives, reducing human suffering, and jump-starting recovery, there is an increased understanding and awareness amongst the humanitarian community on the need to localize and contextualize humanitarian action for long-term resilience. In the spirit of the New Way Of Working and the Agenda for Humanity, the consideration and integration of the local environmental, geographical and overall site conditions are essential elements in achieving these goals.
Addressing environmental issues during the early phases of an emergency has multiple benefits and provides the potential to do the following:
– Address the underlying environmental issues that may have contributed to the crises or disaster in the first place as well as reduce the risk of reoccurrence
– Improve affected communities’ health and safety through reduction of air and water pollution (e.g. management of hazardous materials and solid wastes)
– Protect livelihoods by safeguarding the essential natural resources of those communities
– Protect people and the environment from future hazards through mitigation activities and preventative measures
Furthermore, proactively addressing environmental issues can slow or reverse trends that lead to deforestation, desertification, soil erosion and pollution, which significantly impact community resilience, biodiversity, food security and economic development.
Resources:
Environment and Humanitarian Action Factsheet
EHA Connect – Connecting Environment and Humanitarian Action (EHA)
About the Author
Barr Margaret Akpa is a young Legal Practitioner based in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. She is also a human rights lawyer, an Advocate for women, girls and Children’s rights.
Email: margaretakpa77@gmail.com
