This month’s Environmental Progress News is dedicated to all of the groups around the world who are working on solutions, whether it be to end global warming, or help those who are already affected by climate change.

Below are a few of the groups that participated with us in the Climate Fund campaign.

We admire the work they are doing, and hope to help them raise awareness and the money needed to accomplish the goals they have set to help resolve global warming and climate change.

To learn more about the individual projects, click on the title to go to its Global Giving page.

Water for Bandhavgarh’s Tigers – Reducing Conflict

Summary

3 years of poor monsoon rainfall has led to severe extended droughts in Bandhavgarh impacting all. Thirsty prey animals enter villages to drink & graze crops. Predators follow in search of food & take livestock. People can’t afford to lose crops/livestock to wildlife so look to end the conflict by fair or foul means risking tigers’ lives. Our project will provide solar-powered borehole pumps to bring underground water year-round for tigers & their prey thus reducing human-animal conflict.

A Clean Solar Alternative to Kerosene Lamps, Nepal

Summary

A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 25 April 2015 and 7.3 magnitude on 12 May claimed life of around 9,000 people in Nepal and directly affected above 8 million people. Due to the destruction of houses, people were forced to refuge in open space and many lost most of their belongings. At many places, electricity distribution infrastructure has also been damaged and people are using kerosene lamp. This project aims to provide solar powered lamp.

Plant 30,000 trees to restore India’s cloud forest

Summary

Nongbri F. lives in Dympep, a small village in the remote northeast of India. For her livelihood, she depends on the forest surrounding her village. But this forest is under threat. WeForest helps Nongbri and the people from 62 other villages in the East Khasi Hills region to plant trees and restore the original subtropical forest and its unique biodiversity.

Stop Cookstoves from Killing in South Sudan

Summary

Setting up 10 small women groups to train women on how to make and market clean and efficient cookstoves will save hundreds of lives and combat deforestation and climate change worldwide. Local women will be trained to make clean, efficient cookstoves out of clay. These cookstoves only require a handful of kindling and generate much less smoke than traditional ones. Women groups will provide equipment, marketing training and support.

Transforming Local Fishermen Into Coral Gardeners

Summary

This project trains and certifies local fishermen as coral gardeners, boat captains, scuba divers and artisans. Our goal is to reduce over-fishing on the reef while providing stable tourism jobs for local fishermen and their families. Fishermen will not only contribute to the tourism economy, but also to the health and well-being of the reef ecosystem. This innovative project will help restore local reefs and prove a positive example for replication in other tourism destinations.

Gardens Give Hope, Health, and Income in E. Africa

Summary

This project will increase long-term resilience to climate change, social crisis, and political crisis, for 8 communities in Kenya and Ethiopia most vulnerable to upheaval. We do this by investing in indigenous East African leadership to deliver training and resources: installation of simple, appropriate drought-resistant technology such as water storage, shade nets, and ecological small garden design; and connection of people to good seed, including local seed sources in their region.

Empower Young Climate Activists in Vietnam

Summary

The annual Vietnam Climate Leadership Camp (VCLC) aims to empower young activists in Vietnam where has been experiencing climate impacts like sea level rise, drought and salinization. This annual camp will provide the participants with knowledge about climate change, its relation to energy and campaigning skillsets. Upon returning to their own provinces, each participant will initiate local campaigns to build momentum working on climate mitigation and advocating renewable energy (RE) use.

Equip Rangers to Protect Endangered Wildlife

Summary

Help save vital wildlife habitat in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains by supporting rangers who patrol the forests to secure the survival of elephants, tigers, gibbons, storks, and other endangered species. The Cardamom Mountains face severe threats from wildlife poaching, illegal logging, land grabbing, and slash and burn farming. The effect is devastating on the rich local biodiversity and tropical rainforest. Wildlife Alliance supports rangers to protect this ecosystem, and strives restore the habitat through effective park management, patrols, and enforcement of policies to protect this jewel of Southeast Asia.

Plant Trees to Reverse Deforestation in Africa

Summary

The capital city of Freetown, Sierra Leone is prone to environmental disasters such as flooding and landslides. This is partly because of the deforestation of the surrounding hills, where trees and the vegetation have been indiscriminately cut down for firewood and unplanned housing. This project is helping to restore vegetation by planting trees in the surrounding hills. Our efforts are focused on reversing deforestation as recommended by the Environment Protection Agency.

Mayan Power and Light

Summary

Mayan Power and Light is an innovative, self-sustaining development model that empowers rural women through social businesses to distribute affordable solar power, water filters and fuel-saving stoves past “the last mile.” 40 women train in 1 year of empowerment and business training; 12 women’s micro-businesses distribute solar and filters and educate people in rural areas about the health and economic benefits of these technologies. Every year they bring solar lights to 10,000 rural people.

There are several groups you can check out and support who share our passion for biochar.

• International Biochar Initiative
• Clean Cooking Alliance
• The Biochar Journal
• Ithaka Institute