Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia with 2.2 million homes and businesses turning their lights off for one whole hour. Only a year later and this event had become a global sustainability movement with up to 100 million people across 35 countries participating.
In 2009, at 8.30pm on March 28, people across the world are asked to turn off their lights and join together in creating the vital conversation about the future of our precious planet. Earth Hour is a message of hope and a message of action.
Poverty and environmental degradation are closely linked. The causes of environmental degradation disproportionately affect the poor, while poverty also accelerates environmental destruction.
Poor communities often rely on agriculture, fisheries and natural resources in order to make a living but the depletion of fertile grazing land, forests and water sources is leaving them with no way to feed or support themselves. This means they are forced into a cycle of ever-deepening poverty.
In addition, global climate change and local environmental degradation have caused more natural disasters such as droughts, floods and storms. Those most vulnerable are the poorest communities who do not have the resources to protect themselves, with the consequence that there are increasing numbers of ‘environmental refugees.’
As natural resources are depleted, poor communities are forced through necessity to overexploit the resources that remain, leading to yet further environmental destruction. Land is over-cultivated, eroded and reserves of wood or grass are used up. Unfortunately as natural resources such as water, that are essential for human life, are used up conflicts between individuals, communities and even countries will become more frequent. Many of the conflicts we see today can be traced to disagreements over access to and use of diminishing natural resources. Islamic Relief is a humanitarian relief and development organisation that works with some of the world’s poorest people. If we are to fulfill our commitment to provide support to these communities we must work to ensuring environmental sustainability.
If the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are to be met by 2015 it is integral that there are significant steps towards environmental sustainability. At present around 10 million children die every year before their fifth birthday, most as the result of diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and also malnutrition, such diseases will become more widespread as a result of climate change. If the world wide community is to meet the commitments of the MDGs, then it is essential that we act now on climate change.
Our values
Islamic Relief is an organisation inspired by the teachings of Islam. The Islamic environmental worldview is a holistic one and is based on the five aims of Shariah which aim to protect religion, life, mind, offspring and property. Yet these are all directly or indirectly threatened by environmental degradation.
In Islam, Muslims are encouraged to reflect on the relationship between living organisms and their environment and to maintain the balance created by God. Mankind is the guardian of the earth and as such has a duty to protect it and also to ensure its posterity for future generations in the spirit of inter-generational equity.
Islamic Relief believes that we all have a responsibility to maintain the balance of the earth, especially as disruption of this balance is causing widespread suffering amongst the world’s poorest people. Protection of the environment is therefore crucial to Islamic Relief both as one of the Islamic principles on which we are founded, and also because of its importance for poverty reduction.
Our response
Islamic Relief believes that a stable climate and a rich environmental heritage are as important to communities as their material needs. We also believe that environmental conservation, socioeconomic development and emergency relief are interlinked and these links should be reflected in our activities.
Islamic Relief’s interventions to promote environmental sustainability focus on four areas:
- integrating the principles of sustainable development into all projects
- preventing or reversing the loss of environmental resources
- ensuring Islamic Relief’s own internal policies and practices are environmentally sound
- advocating for global change to protect the environment.
Project work
Development projects
- Islamic Relief conducts meaningful environmental impact assessments as a standard part of every project preparation process.
- Islamic Relief implements many projects aimed at creating sustainable livelihoods through environmental protection and regeneration and promoting environmentally sound practices.
- We are expanding our projects to meet challenges posed by climate change including increasing natural disasters.
Emergency relief
There is a strong link between environmental degradation and the frequency of natural and man-made disasters. Despite this, in an emergency situation relief workers are often unable to prioritise environmental issues.
To help us respond to environmental needs during an emergency Islamic Relief will incorporate viable elements of Rapid Environmental Impact Assessments into our disaster response operations and our disaster response training programmes.
Internal environmental challenges
Islamic Relief is committed to ensuring that all our offices are environmentally sound. This will reduce the organisation’s collective ‘carbon footprint’, reduce costs and also lend us credibility required to advocate on environmental matters.
Measures include:
- Staff behavioural changes such as ensuring all equipment is switched off when not in use, not undertaking unnecessary printing, etc.
- System development such as recycling all rubbish.
- The development of an environmentally conscious procurement policy, including the procurement of office items, items for field offices and emergency relief supplies.
- Limiting the frequency of international air travel and offsetting our carbon emissions.
Advocacy
Islamic Relief is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition as well as various local environmental networks through our various field offices in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.
To get involved with this initiative, visit the Earth Hour website on http://www.earthhour.org.za/index.php
For more information on Islamic Relief Environmental
Policy, please visithttp://www.islamic-relief.com/Indepth/environment.aspx
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
GAZA UPDATE: Islamic Relief delivered R26million aid thus far...
There is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and for every day that hostilities continue, the cost for the civilian population inevitably intensifies. Only an immediate cease-fire will be able to address the large-scale humanitarian and protection crisis that faces the people of Gaza. The Israeli military operation has entered its third week, with Israeli planes dropping leaflets on Gaza City on 10 January warning of an escalation.
Israeli air, sea and ground forces continue to surround the populated areas of the Gaza Strip, and the Gaza and North Gaza Governorates remain isolated from the rest of the territory. The humanitarian crisis is intensifying with the Palestinian civilian casualty rate mounting, increasing damage to homes and public infrastructure, and water, sanitation and electricity services imperiled.
Emergency rooms and intensive care units are overstretched and medical staff are exhausted. Of particular concern is the long-term psychological effect of the conflict on children, who make up 56 percent of the Gaza population.
[OCHA, 11 Jan 09]
Recent development
·Death toll has reached 917 including 290 children, 95 women, and 12 medical personnel
·Number of injured people exceeds 4100 including 1400 children, 595 women and 450 considered critically injured.
·The number of displaced people staying with host families remains unknown, but reports indicate that it is likely to number in the tens of thousands. According to the Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, an estimated 80,000–90,000 people have been displaced, including up to 50,000 children. UNRWA opened four new shelters on 10 January in response to increased demand in Gaza City, Jabalia, and Deir al Balah.
·UNRWA is currently operating 31 shelters providing refuge to 25,696 people, an increase of over 4,000 from 9 January. Shelters in Jabalia are overcrowded, with one school sheltering over 1,700 people and another approximately 1,900. However, new shelters cannot be opened in the area due to insecurity. Drinking water, bread and tinned meat have been provided to all shelters.
·Hospitals remain under intense pressure due to the high number of wounded who continue to be brought in for treatment. According to WHO and ICRC, the main problem currently facing the health sector is access, in terms of the access of staff, procured medicines and equipment to hospitals, and patient referrals out of the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian MoH is providing international donors and humanitarian organizations with detailed lists of needs for medical equipment and supplies to ensure that donations meet actual needs. Since the outbreak of hostilities on 27 December, regular health care has been interrupted.
·The Ministry of Health reports that about 70 percent of chronic patients regularly attending Primary Health Care (PHC) centers have had to interrupt their treatment due to the security situation. According to WHO, all hospitals now have 3-4 hours of electricity per day, and most have sufficient fuel to run back-up generators for five days after having received fuel. The Gaza Paediatric Hospital has only two days of fuel reserves left.
·As of the afternoon of 11 January, ambulances at Kamal Edwan Hospital have run out of fuel. Between 9 and 10 January, the European Gaza Hospital, El Nasser Paediatric Hospital, Sabha Al Harazin and Hala Al Shawa PHC centres sustained damage due to shelling or artillery fire. The Dorah Paediatrics Hospital is closed (except for emergency services) after sustaining damage.
·According to WHO, 189 patients, mostly war injuries but also some chronically ill, have been transferred through Rafah crossing as of 10 January.
·Approximately 500,000 people have no access to running water, 500,000 people receive water for 4-6 hours every 5-7 days and the remaining population receives water for 4-6 hours every 2-3 days.
The following table summarises IRPAL intervention since the beginning g of the crisis:
# Item Qty. amount in USD Status
1 Food for Hospitals $90,466.84 completed
2 Food Package for Gaza and north Gaza 5000 $184,533.16 completed
3 Hygiene Kits for IDPs 1000 $20,068.42 completed
4 Blankets for IDPs 2215 $81,346.05 completed
5 Hygiene Kits for IDPs 1000 $18,855.26 completed
6 medical disposables $120,136.81 completed
7 Medical equipments $398,937.00 completed
8 medical disposables $5,614.40 completed
9 canned food - for IDPs $9,560.53 completed
10 canned food for IDPs $23,368.42 completed
11 canned food for IDPs $20,723.68 completed
12 food package for Khan Younis 1000 $26,315.79 completed
13 Transportation for MoH/to hospitals $2,000.00 completed
14 Renting warehouse for MoH $10,000.00 completed
15 4 Ambulances (inc 1 ICU) $201,454.00 completed
16 48,000 powder milk packs for children 48,000kg $172,817.00 $1,462,833.16
17 Medical disposables $552,873.03 processing
18 Medical drugs $142,521.76 processing
19 Medical Kits $338,237.74 processing
20 Urgent spare parts $480.00 processing
21 food materials from WB 5000 $229,473.68 processing
22 food package for Middle Area 1000 $26,315.79 processing
23 food package for Rafah 1000 $26,315.79 processing
Sources:
-Islamic Relief Palestine Emergency Team
-BBC
-The Jerusalem Post
-World Health Organization (WHO) emergency update
-UN Office for the Cooridination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) emergency update
-The European Union-
MA’AN News Agency
Israeli air, sea and ground forces continue to surround the populated areas of the Gaza Strip, and the Gaza and North Gaza Governorates remain isolated from the rest of the territory. The humanitarian crisis is intensifying with the Palestinian civilian casualty rate mounting, increasing damage to homes and public infrastructure, and water, sanitation and electricity services imperiled.
Emergency rooms and intensive care units are overstretched and medical staff are exhausted. Of particular concern is the long-term psychological effect of the conflict on children, who make up 56 percent of the Gaza population.
[OCHA, 11 Jan 09]
Recent development
·Death toll has reached 917 including 290 children, 95 women, and 12 medical personnel
·Number of injured people exceeds 4100 including 1400 children, 595 women and 450 considered critically injured.
·The number of displaced people staying with host families remains unknown, but reports indicate that it is likely to number in the tens of thousands. According to the Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, an estimated 80,000–90,000 people have been displaced, including up to 50,000 children. UNRWA opened four new shelters on 10 January in response to increased demand in Gaza City, Jabalia, and Deir al Balah.
·UNRWA is currently operating 31 shelters providing refuge to 25,696 people, an increase of over 4,000 from 9 January. Shelters in Jabalia are overcrowded, with one school sheltering over 1,700 people and another approximately 1,900. However, new shelters cannot be opened in the area due to insecurity. Drinking water, bread and tinned meat have been provided to all shelters.
·Hospitals remain under intense pressure due to the high number of wounded who continue to be brought in for treatment. According to WHO and ICRC, the main problem currently facing the health sector is access, in terms of the access of staff, procured medicines and equipment to hospitals, and patient referrals out of the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian MoH is providing international donors and humanitarian organizations with detailed lists of needs for medical equipment and supplies to ensure that donations meet actual needs. Since the outbreak of hostilities on 27 December, regular health care has been interrupted.
·The Ministry of Health reports that about 70 percent of chronic patients regularly attending Primary Health Care (PHC) centers have had to interrupt their treatment due to the security situation. According to WHO, all hospitals now have 3-4 hours of electricity per day, and most have sufficient fuel to run back-up generators for five days after having received fuel. The Gaza Paediatric Hospital has only two days of fuel reserves left.
·As of the afternoon of 11 January, ambulances at Kamal Edwan Hospital have run out of fuel. Between 9 and 10 January, the European Gaza Hospital, El Nasser Paediatric Hospital, Sabha Al Harazin and Hala Al Shawa PHC centres sustained damage due to shelling or artillery fire. The Dorah Paediatrics Hospital is closed (except for emergency services) after sustaining damage.
·According to WHO, 189 patients, mostly war injuries but also some chronically ill, have been transferred through Rafah crossing as of 10 January.
·Approximately 500,000 people have no access to running water, 500,000 people receive water for 4-6 hours every 5-7 days and the remaining population receives water for 4-6 hours every 2-3 days.
The following table summarises IRPAL intervention since the beginning g of the crisis:
# Item Qty. amount in USD Status
1 Food for Hospitals $90,466.84 completed
2 Food Package for Gaza and north Gaza 5000 $184,533.16 completed
3 Hygiene Kits for IDPs 1000 $20,068.42 completed
4 Blankets for IDPs 2215 $81,346.05 completed
5 Hygiene Kits for IDPs 1000 $18,855.26 completed
6 medical disposables $120,136.81 completed
7 Medical equipments $398,937.00 completed
8 medical disposables $5,614.40 completed
9 canned food - for IDPs $9,560.53 completed
10 canned food for IDPs $23,368.42 completed
11 canned food for IDPs $20,723.68 completed
12 food package for Khan Younis 1000 $26,315.79 completed
13 Transportation for MoH/to hospitals $2,000.00 completed
14 Renting warehouse for MoH $10,000.00 completed
15 4 Ambulances (inc 1 ICU) $201,454.00 completed
16 48,000 powder milk packs for children 48,000kg $172,817.00 $1,462,833.16
17 Medical disposables $552,873.03 processing
18 Medical drugs $142,521.76 processing
19 Medical Kits $338,237.74 processing
20 Urgent spare parts $480.00 processing
21 food materials from WB 5000 $229,473.68 processing
22 food package for Middle Area 1000 $26,315.79 processing
23 food package for Rafah 1000 $26,315.79 processing
Sources:
-Islamic Relief Palestine Emergency Team
-BBC
-The Jerusalem Post
-World Health Organization (WHO) emergency update
-UN Office for the Cooridination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) emergency update
-The European Union-
MA’AN News Agency
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