Blogs
April 22, 2020 • 3 min read
This Wednesday, 22nd April, marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. GOAL is working with vulnerable communities to make them more resilient in the face of a changing climate and the damage that it brings. Due to Covid-19, this event will take place entirely online. We encourage you to take action on social media to spread awareness of climate issues and, in particular, the people if affects the most.
Today marks 50 years since the first Earth Day. Despite this milestone, there is still so much more to be done to reduce the effects of climate change. Thousands of people across the globe will take part in online actions such as livestreamed talks to spread awareness of climate change. GOAL is at the forefront of the fight to protect vulnerable people and their communities from the disastrous consequences of climate change such as shortage of food and water.
Water infrastructure repaired and supported by GOAL in IDP settlements in Northwestern Syria provide over 800,000 people with daily access to water.
The heating of the planet is putting a serious strain on many countries’ water supplies. With the need to maintain personal hygiene due to Covid-19, this supply has never been more important. GOAL is providing access to water for hundreds of thousand of people. In Syria, the ongoing conflict has destroyed much of the water distribution systems. In North-western Syria, water has been supplied to people by truck and at extortionate prices. In response, GOAL has teams on the ground repairing damaged water systems which is bringing water to over 800,000 people daily.
GOAL is one of several organisations that is part of the coalition group ‘Stop Climate Chaos’. To mark Earth Day, Stop Climate Chaos is urging people to take online action. They are hosting a webinar on Wednesday to mark the event, register here to tune in to learn more about the work GOAL and its coalition partners do to stop climate change.
Our Global Spark initiative is full of fun activities to encourage families to play and learn together by exploring different UN Global Goals each week.
GOAL is also working to engage those staying at home to learn about the world around them. The new Global Sparks project is encouraging young people take part in online activities with GOAL to learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals. These Goals are the UN’s plan to make our world a more equal and sustainable place to live. There are 17 goals, many of which aim to tackle environmental issues. ‘Goal 13’, is ‘climate action’. To take part in these online education activities click here.
Many mistakenly think of climate change as a problem for the future. However, the experiences of communities like the ones GOAL work with show that climate change is already having a disastrous impact on people and their livelihoods. Join in the digital conversation to learn more about climate change and speak out for the communities it is most affecting.
Three things you can do for Earth Day!
- Join one of the many online events and discussions taking place across the world. Check out all event details here.
- While you’re staying indoors, why not create a sign for your window to show the world you’re supporting Earth Day. You can get ideas on what to make here.
- The organisers of Earth Day are encouraging everyone to carry out at least one ‘Act of Green’. Whether planting bee friendly flowers, or reducing your electricity usage for the day, take this opportunity to do one Act of Green and share it with the world.
