Environment in humanitarian action
- Page updated on18 de April de 2025
It is estimated that 80% of today's humanitarian crises have environmental factors among their triggering causes. Addressing climate and environment-related priorities in humanitarian action is therefore a priority. By responding to the needs of people affected by emergencies, we must help prevent the environmental situation from deteriorating further and, in some cases, help reverse the problems that led to the crisis in the first place.
Table of contents:
The environment as a cause of complex humanitarian crises
Climate change, the result of human action on the planet, disproportionately affects the most vulnerable people affected by conflict and forced displacement. In addition, environmental degradation sometimes wipes out livelihoods and natural resources and causes poverty. This often triggers conflicts and humanitarian crises, or increases susceptibility to other natural disasters.
There are examples of this overlap everywhere. In southern Africa, drought and the resulting crop failures have pushed thousands of people from the countryside into cities without decent hygiene and sanitation conditions for the poorest. This has facilitated the transmission of cholera outbreaks and other diseases. In northwestern Syria, people who have already suffered more than a decade of conflict and displacement face a terrible drought from 2021. In Pakistan, 2022 saw the worst floods the country had experienced in years, right on the heels of an unprecedented heat wave. These effects overlapped, in all these contexts, with political instability and other determinants of the complexity of humanitarian crises, which also hampered humanitarian response.
The environmental responsibility of humanitarian action
Humanitarian action can negatively impact the environment if done carelessly. For example, the construction of housing in a refugee camp can deforest nearby forests or degrade the soil for brick making. This, in turn, can increase the risk of landslides or damage caused by torrential rains for that same population. Thus, for some years now, there seems to be a consensus among all actors on the importance of considering climate and environment in humanitarian action.
In recent years, there has been a succession of letters, declarations and positions on the subject from donors and implementing partners, as well as the development of environmental policies. These policies define the strategic direction, commitments and principles of the organizations in this regard. They cover aspects related to carbon footprint reduction, environmental risk assessment tools, new procedures for logistics management, travel, waste disposal and, of course, staff training.
Today we also have new frameworks and tools for integrating general measures into the project cycle and specific measures into the actions of each humanitarian sector of intervention. For example, in income generation programs, locally sourced products can be promoted in markets, or environmentally friendly livelihood opportunities can be promoted. In turn, WASH interventions can help to restore aquifers and natural water resources. Shelter-focused actions can provide access to improved stoves that reduce the need for fuelwood. As a final example, improving mental health can promote the creation of green spaces, offering shade and safe space to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Cross-cutting priorities
External links
- Sphere, 2023. Nature-based solutions for climate resilience in humanitarian action.
- Environment and Humanitarian Action. EHA Connect.
- IFRC/ICRC, 2022. The Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations.
- IASC, 2023. Environmental responsibility in humanitarian operations.
- Humanitarian aid donors’ declaration on climate and environment, 2022.
- People’s Health Movement, 2018. Climate change, environmental degradation and health: confronting the realities. Global Health Watch 5 Report.
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