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Tonle Sap, Cambodia
A video clip featuring Ora Mok, a UN Volunteer working on sustainable livelihoods for Tonle Sap communities in Cambodia. Click on the video screen to open in larger window.
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  Volunteering and the environment    

"Voluntary action is essential in our global effort to address climate change, which poses a serious threat to our ability to reach the Millennium Development Goals. […] We need people everywhere to volunteer for this challenge, and to help communities mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change."
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, International Volunteer Day 2007

It is increasingly apparent that volunteerism and volunteers are critical to preserving the environment and building a sustainable future for the planet. Volunteers with UNV, UN partners and in communities around the world are making a difference; protecting wildlife and habitats, fighting desertification and promoting environmental awareness.

Below are some of their stories.

Greening the environment in Senegal (B. Mikula/UNV)
Volunteerism and the environment: An overview
07 August 2008
Bonn, Germany: Volunteerism is one of the longest traditions in environmental activism, and community initiatives are invariably volunteer-based. Volunteers are to be found in conservation efforts around the world. Read
More about: Environment  MDG 7: Environmental sustainability  MDGs
Countries:  Bangladesh  Bolivia  Fiji  India  Indonesia  Niger  Papua New Guinea  Philippines  Togo
Other languages: en français  en español  
Most people at Tonle Sap make their living from the waters and floating forests. (P. Harris/UNV)
New ways to live sustainably on the Tonle Sap lake
06 August 2008
Siem Reap, Cambodia: Tonle Sap, South-East Asia's largest freshwater lake - is under pressure from its human population. UNV volunteers are working alongside local people to help reduce their impact on its complex ecosystem. Read
More about: Agriculture  Environment
Countries:  Cambodia
UNV volunteer Sonia Gill from Kenya works with UNEP, promoting understanding of environmental issues among African journalists, policymakers and civil society. (UNV)
Getting 'green' onto the African agenda
06 August 2008
Nairobia, Kenya: Policies are being made to streamline measures on respective Environmental Acts of African governments that will eventually form the backbone of the continent's economic activities. This has been done through the support of UNEP and I have been fortunate to be part of this campaign. Read
More about: Civil society  Environment  MDG 7: Environmental sustainability
Countries:  Kenya
Credit: Library of Congress.
Air pollution solutions for Africa
06 August 2008
Nairobi, Kenya: Air pollution is a global challenge, and for developing countries limited scientific data and policies on air quality affects how air pollution is managed... I support conferences and national activities on air quality management across Africa. Read
More about: Environment
Accompanied by their Chief Technical Adviser (left,) Chinese and international UNV volunteer experts (Liu Lei pointing) examine ditches in the Ruoergai wetlands nature reserve, Sichuan Province, China. They are looking for methods to stop the ditches draining excess water. (UNV)
Preserving China's wetlands with UNV know-how
04 August 2008
Ruoergai Wetlands Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China: In order to solve environmental problems, you first need to understand them. The expertise of UNV volunteers studying China's wetlands is helping to preserve biodiversity. Read
More about: Environment
Countries:  China
The vegetables grown by youth volunteers taking part in a UNV-led project show that desertification is not inevitable in Ethiopia. (UNV)
Youth volunteers hold back the desert in Ethiopia
03 August 2008
Amhara and Oromia States, Ethiopia: A UNV-led youth volunteering project is helping to combat desertification in Ethiopia by teaching young people about the environment and putting them to work in their communities. Read
More about: Environment  Youth
Countries:  Ethiopia
Shivani Saran, online volunteer.
Online volunteers take action for the environment
04 June 2008
Bonn, Germany: Volunteers are making a significant impact on environmental programmes through the internet. Since 2000, online volunteers engaged via the UNV Online Volunteering service have undertaken 1,350 environmental assignments. On World Environment Day, 5 June, more than 100 online volunteers are involved in current initiatives. Read
More about: Environment  ICT  Online volunteering
Other languages: en español  en français  
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