Archive for category: environment

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Extreme Heat and The Lady Health Workers of Pakistan

Lady Health Workers of PakistanAs the changing climate drives temperatures to new extremes, heat is emerging as an underrecognized threat to maternal health. In Pakistan, one of the world’s most heat-exposed countries, pregnancy is increasingly unfolding under conditions that strain the body, health systems and communities alike. Yet despite mounting scientific evidence of the danger extreme heat poses during the perinatal period, maternal health remains largely absent from many national heat-health policies. Thankfully, community health workers, like the Lady Health Workers of Pakistan, are stepping up when the heat becomes too much to bear.

Intensifying Heatwaves in Pakistan

Pakistan is highly vulnerable to extreme heat, with heatwaves becoming more frequent, prolonged and intense in recent decades. Pre-monsoon months often see dangerously high temperatures in combination with high population densities, as seen in cities such as Karachi and Lahore. Several severe events in recent years have emphasized the scale of this risk, including the 2015 heatwave that devastated the southeastern Sindh province and ultimately claimed more than 1,000 lives. In more recent years, Pakistan experienced a heatwave in June 2025, during which temperatures in many parts of the country exceeded 113°F.

Prolonged periods of extreme heat place significant strain on urban and rural communities alike, affecting infrastructure and health systems. Climate change is expected to intensify these trends, increasing the likelihood of longer and more severe heatwaves and expanding the geographic areas affected. For populations with limited access to cooling, reliable electricity or adequate health care, these conditions create public health risks and highlight the need for stronger heat-health preparedness measures.

Extreme Heat and Maternal Health Risks

Extreme heat poses significant risks during pregnancy due to the body’s changes in temperature regulation and fluid balance. During pregnancy, fetal development increases fluid requirements, making it more difficult for the body to dissipate heat. This increases susceptibility to dehydration and heat stress. High temperatures may disrupt hormonal regulation and impair the function of the placenta, potentially reducing oxygen and nutrient delivery to the fetus.

Evidence also links exposure to extreme heat with several adverse pregnancy outcomes, including gestational diabetes, preterm birth and stillbirth in some cases. Heat exposure can also increase the likelihood of infections and complicate care during labor. Because public health care systems in Pakistan are often described as overwhelmed, these risks may increase further. As temperatures continue to rise with climate change, these issues underscore the importance of recognizing pregnancy as a period of heightened vulnerability to extreme heat and ensuring appropriate support for pregnant populations.

Omission of Pregnancy in Heat-Health Action Plans

The National Heatwaves Guidelines released by the Pakistani government do not make direct reference to pregnancy during extreme heat events. The guidelines recommend that “individuals should check on neighbors, especially the elderly, children and those with chronic illnesses,” but they do not mention people in the perinatal period. The report encourages community care for “vulnerable residents,” but it does not define which groups fall into this category.

This highlights an ongoing issue within Heat-Health Action Plans (HHAPs) across the globe. As extreme heat events occur more frequently, many countries have implemented national HHAPs, as urged by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, while WHO guidelines outline strategies to protect pregnant individuals from extreme heat, a recent review found that of 83 eligible HHAPs from 24 countries, only 52% recognized the need to protect this population during heatwaves. Furthermore, none of the HHAPs comprehensively addressed the risks heatwaves pose to maternal, newborn and child health.

The Lady Health Workers of Pakistan

Pakistan’s Lady Health Worker (LHW) Program, established in 1994, plays a critical role in delivering maternal health services to communities across the country, particularly in rural areas and urban informal settlements. The program deploys more than 100,000 trained female community health workers who live within the communities they serve, each covering roughly 1,000 people. Although they are not physicians, they provide services that health professionals may not be able to deliver consistently at the household level. This includes conducting regular household visits to provide health education, basic preventive care and referrals to formal health facilities.

LHWs focus heavily on maternal and newborn health. They counsel pregnant individuals on the importance of antenatal care while monitoring pregnancies and linking families with clinics or midwives when complications arise. They are trusted members of their communities and provide care directly at the household level. As a result, LHWs often serve as the first point of contact for pregnant populations during environmental or health crises.

LHWs guide hydration, rest and heat-related illness. They also monitor vulnerable pregnancies and facilitate timely referrals to health facilities, helping ensure continuity of maternal care even when extreme heat and strained hospitals make access to services more difficult.

– Charlotte Bunn

Charlotte is based in Bristol, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Extreme Heat is Trapping Workers in Poverty in West Africa

Poverty in West AfricaAcross West Africa, rising temperatures are becoming more than an environmental issue. For many workers, extreme heat is affecting their ability to earn a living. Farmers, construction workers, street vendors and other outdoor laborers depend on long hours of physical work each day. However, as temperatures continue to rise, working conditions are becoming more dangerous and less productive. According to the World Bank, the changing climate could push more than 132 million people into poverty globally by 2030, with developing regions such as West Africa facing the greatest risks. This growing challenge is sometimes described as “cooling poverty,” where extreme heat reduces work capacity and pushes vulnerable workers deeper into poverty.

Heat Stress and Lost Working Hours

Extreme heat significantly reduces the number of hours people can safely work outdoors. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), heat stress is expected to reduce total global working hours by 2.2% by 2030, which is equivalent to about 80 million full-time jobs. The report also estimates that Africa will lose about 4.7% of its total working hours, making it one of the regions most affected by rising temperatures.

In many parts of West Africa, daytime temperatures regularly exceed 35°C (95°F). For workers performing physically demanding tasks under direct sunlight, these conditions can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and even heatstroke. Because of this, many laborers stop working during the hottest hours of the day, reducing productivity and daily income.

Farmers Facing Declining Productivity

Agriculture remains the backbone of employment in many West African countries. In Nigeria, for example, agriculture employs about 35% of the country’s workforce and supports millions of rural households. Similarly, in Ghana, the sector employs more than 30% of the labor force, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Rising temperatures are making farm work increasingly difficult. Farmers often begin working very early in the morning to avoid extreme midday heat. However, shorter working hours reduce productivity. In addition, higher temperatures increase drought conditions and reduce soil moisture, which can damage crops and reduce harvests. Lower yields directly affect farmers’ incomes and increase the risk of poverty for rural communities.

Urban Workers Under Pressure

Extreme heat is also affecting workers in urban areas. Construction workers, delivery drivers, street vendors and market traders spend long hours outdoors across many West African cities. Many of these workers operate within the informal economy, which accounts for about 85% of employment in Africa, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Without formal labor protections such as regulated working hours or health insurance, these workers often face difficult choices between protecting their health and earning enough money to survive. When temperatures become dangerously high, workers may slow down or stop working completely, resulting in lost daily income.

Extreme heat creates serious health risks for workers. Heat exposure can lead to dehydration, fatigue and reduced concentration, which increases the risk of workplace accidents. Long-term exposure to high temperatures can also contribute to chronic health problems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that between 2000 and 2019, heat-related deaths among people over 65 increased by about 70% globally. As heat waves intensify, outdoor workers in vulnerable regions such as West Africa face growing health and economic risks.

Solutions to Protect Workers

Reducing the impact of extreme heat on workers requires stronger policies and practical solutions. Governments can introduce measures such as adjusting working hours to cooler parts of the day, providing shaded rest areas and ensuring access to safe drinking water. Public awareness campaigns can also help workers recognize the early signs of heat stress and take preventive action.

In agriculture, climate-resilient farming methods and improved irrigation systems can help farmers adapt to rising temperatures. Expanding access to climate information and early warning systems will also allow communities to prepare for extreme heat conditions and reduce economic losses.

Preventing Poverty in West Africa

Extreme heat is becoming an increasingly serious challenge for workers across West Africa. As temperatures continue to rise, outdoor laborers face growing health and economic risks. Efforts to improve working conditions and expand climate adaptation strategies may help reduce these risks and poverty in West Africa.

– Segun Oyekale

Segun is based in Lagos, Nigeria and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Climate and Poverty: The Role of Global Charities

Climate and PovertyIncreasingly severe floods, droughts and storms are intensifying risks to livelihoods, particularly for those already living in poverty. Around the world, rising environmental instability and unpredictable weather conditions push back on people’s progress against poverty. Extreme weather patterns are now one of the greatest drivers of poverty and hunger, with 45 million people at risk of famine and nearly half of the world’s children living in countries highly vulnerable to environmental shocks. The World Bank warns that natural disasters could push an additional 100 million people into poverty within the next decade.

Background

The poorest communities, often living in the most exposed and fragile conditions, suffer the worst effects of severe storms, droughts and other natural disasters. To cope with the risks of more frequent extreme weather, significant investment is necessary to strengthen communities and businesses. Climate finance from developed countries to developing countries remains crucial to help vulnerable populations adapt while supporting long-term poverty reductions

Climate actions also present economic opportunities. Green jobs, roles that reduce the environmental impact of economic activity, are essential to building a more sustainable economy. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), increasing productivity and sustainability in climate-critical sectors could lift 100 million small-scale farmers out of poverty.

This is why climate charities and poverty reduction strategies are becoming inseparable in global development policies.

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Farmers are not just food producers; they are the backbone of rural economies and global food systems, yet unpredictable weather conditions disrupt their livelihoods. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) supports small-scale farmers in adapting to the impacts of extreme environmental conditions. It funds infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather, including flood defenses and cyclone early-warning systems and helps redesign government policies to better respond to environmental risks  in the future.

In 2024, IFAD invested more than $750 million in climate finance projects. Overall, it has supported 6 million farmers and helped avoid 112 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Its work shows how strengthening rural resilience can simultaneously protect ecosystems, increase food security and reduce poverty.

Practical Action

Practical Action is a charity that focuses on helping communities tackle poverty and environmental degradation, working directly with those most affected. Its approach centers on creating green and inclusive economies that strengthen resilience while unlocking economic opportunity. The organization supports small businesses that help adapt to increasing environmental shocks and unpredictable weather conditions, as they allow people to earn a decent living. It trains farmers to grow and sell products in ways that protect nature and increase income. It also expands access to clean and affordable energy to power homes and local businesses. By making clean energy affordable and food production climate-smart, they help farmers, entrepreneurs and workers grow and diversify their income while protecting nature.

Practical Action also helps communities prepare and recover from natural disasters. The charity supports communities in building their own future with solutions that foster resilience, create jobs and lasting prosperity. As a result of their work, crops survive extreme weather, ensuring food security and small businesses grow, creating job opportunities.

Over the past five years, 6 million people have experienced improvements in their lives through the organization’s projects, and it aims to reach 10 million people by 2030.

SolarAid

SolarAid is an international charity providing solar lamps to some of the most rural and hard-to-reach communities in sub-Saharan Africa, tackling both poverty and the environmental changes.

In many of these areas, households rely on kerosene lamps and paraffin candles, which emit toxic fumes and contribute to carbon emissions. Solar power offers a cleaner and safer alternative, an immediate benefit for both people and the planet. To date, SolarAid has distributed 2.5 million solar lights.

Its mission is to light up every school, clinic and home in Africa. The aim is to enable farmers to work after sunset, children to study in the evening and midwives to deliver babies safely at night

Trees for the Future

Trees for the Future is an organization that focuses on large-scale land restoration in developing communities, tackling hunger, poverty and environmental degradation. With landscapes and ecosystems are deteriorating worldwide, many farming families are trapped in cycles of hunger and poverty. Africa alone is home to 33 million farmers who produce 80% of the continent’s food, often on degraded land worsened by environmental shocks. Trees for the Future’s Forest Garden Approach restores soil health by planting diverse mixes of trees and crops, ensuring year-round food and income

The program can end poverty as its approach ensures opportunities otherwise inaccessible to rural families. By embracing sustainable land practices, farmers are breaking the cycles of land degradation and poverty and rebuilding our food systems.

UNDP’s Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP)’s Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator (GGJAP) helps established entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt greener business practices, expand green job opportunities, and contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive economy. SMEs form the backbone of many economies and are key to tackling environmental risks, unemployment and poverty. Across the Arab States region, GGJAP aims to support 800 SMEs, creating 4,000 green jobs.

Climate Action and Poverty Reduction

There are now more jobs in clean energy than in fossil fuels, as investments in clean energy technologies drive global demand for new workers worldwide. Every dollar invested in renewable energy creates roughly three times more jobs than in the fossil fuel industry.

Measures to reduce emissions and adapt to environmental instability can promote sustainable, resilient and inclusive development, particularly in developing countries, offering new avenues out of poverty.

The two biggest challenges of the 21st century, poverty and growing environmental disruption, can be addressed together. Technologies and practices that tackle environmental shocks also improve people’s livelihoods, health, food security, education, gender equality and more.

– Jeanne Pellet

Jeanne is based in London, UK and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Green Nitrogen Fixation Can Help Alleviate Global Poverty

Green Nitrogen FixationToday’s standard fertilizer production process contributes to a sizable 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions and requires high-priced materials and complex engineering. Additionally, farming communities in impoverished nations often have limited access to and cannot afford the rising costs of industrial fertilizers. Green nitrogen fixation is a sustainable process that can be achieved on-site, ending small-scale farmers’ dependence on imported fertilizers. 

With numerous environmental and economic benefits, green nitrogen fixation can help alleviate global poverty and promote food security in developing nations. 

Industrial Fertilizer Production

Industrial fertilizer is composed of compounds that provide plants with essential nutrients, which include the crucial life-sustaining element nitrogen and minerals such as phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen for fertilizer production is commonly obtained from atmospheric air, which reacts with hydrogen in natural gas to create ammonia. The ammonia can be converted to ammonium nitrate or other nitrogen compounds and mixed with minerals to produce fertilizer.

Inert atmospheric nitrogen must be “fixed” (converted to reactive nitrogen compounds) to be absorbed by crops. The Haber-Bosch process is the most common technique for nitrogen fixation since the early 1900s. It catalyzes the reaction between hydrogen and nitrogen at extreme temperatures and pressures, requiring significant energy and producing substantial carbon dioxide. 

Not only is the Haber-Bosch process energy-intensive, consuming nearly 2% of global energy demand, but the materials needed for the method can be costly and, at times, inaccessible.

Fertilizer Supply Chain

Given that phosphorus, potassium and natural gas resources are limited and available only in certain parts of the world, fertilizer availability can fluctuate. The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has significantly reduced fertilizer reserves. Many of Ukraine’s fuel processing facilities have been damaged in battle, reducing its ability to produce natural gas and driving up fuel prices. 

Additionally, Russia and Belarus produce a substantial amount of fertilizer that they are presently unable to export due to shipping disruptions and sanctions resulting from the conflict. Rising costs and fertilizer scarcity have had a significant impact on farmers and consumers worldwide. Unlike those in developed nations who may be able to afford higher-priced fertilizers, food growers in developing regions do not have the financial resources to afford them.

Alternative solutions are needed to enable impoverished farmers to sustain food security for themselves and their communities. A promising alternative to industrial fertilizer, green nitrogen fixation can help alleviate global poverty by protecting the food supply of developing countries while delivering additional environmental and economic benefits.

On-Site Green Nitrogen Fixation Methods

Providing the capability of on-site, small-scale production, green nitrogen fixation methods are economical and fairly easy for remote farmers to implement. The methodologies include the following:

  • Plasma-Based Nitrogen Fixation: Plasma nitrogen fixation uses ionized gas (plasma) to cause a reaction between atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen from water to produce ammonia. Plasma is created by electrifying air using small-scale reactors powered by solar or wind energy. The process creates liquid nitrates that can be sprayed onto crops. Though plasma nitrogen fixation uses renewable energy and has small-scale production capabilities, it requires high energy consumption. 
  • Biological Nitrogen Fixation: Biological nitrogen fixation uses bacteria such as Azotobacter to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia via the enzyme nitrogenase. The bacteria are added to the soil, enabling crops to take up nitrogen directly. Biological nitrogen fixation eliminates the need for a fuel source. It provides a no-processing, direct on-site application. However, it can emit nitrous oxide (a greenhouse gas) when excess nitrogen is added to the soil.
  • Photocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation: This method utilizes solar energy to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, using water as a hydrogen source. A photocatalyst is exposed to solar energy to generate the reaction between hydrogen and nitrogen to form ammonia. While the method uses renewable energy and has on-site production capability, current catalysts are inefficient and the reaction loses much of its energy as heat.

Scientists are working to further improve these techniques to enhance their effectiveness. With so many potential benefits for remote farmers, there is promise that green nitrogen fixation can help alleviate global poverty by enabling sustainable small-scale farming and helping end food insecurity worldwide. 

The Agrogeological Approach

In addition to nitrogen, plants also need key minerals for optimal growth. To bypass reliance on imports, these minerals can be obtained locally. Although the fertilizer industry mainly targets the macro- (main) plant nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the “agrogeological” approach also employs micro- (secondary) nutrients to sustain soil fertility. Generally available worldwide, sources of phosphorus and potassium include animal manure, fallen leaves and sewage sludge. 

Secondary plant growth nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper, can be obtained from wood ash, marl (a sedimentary clay rock) and phosphate rock. Often requiring minimal processing, these resources can be found in industrial waste or in nature and, along with nitrogen from green nitrogen fixation, can sustainably provide crops with the nutrients needed to thrive.

Outlook for Green Nitrogen Fixation

The world population could reach 10 billion by 2050, further increasing the already scarce supply of fertilizer and adding to food production demands on impoverished nations. Green nitrogen fixation is a promising soil fertility solution, particularly when coupled with agrogeological techniques. It can help alleviate global poverty by strengthening the resilience and independence of local farmers while contributing to environmental protection.

– Debbie Barto

Debbie is based in Monroe, WA, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Inside the Project Designed To Improve Thai Infrastructure

Thai InfrastructureThe Thailand Resilient Transport Connectivity and Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Project (TRIP) will improve Thai infrastructure and protect local biodiversity in the Songkhla Lake region through the strategic construction of two new bridges. Last spring, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) approved funding for the project. The World Bank published a disclosure on May 25, 2025, announcing its $144.76 million loan commitment, marking the organization’s first significant lending operation in the country in more than 15 years.

In a press release, the World Bank’s Division Director for Myanmar and Thailand, Melinda Good, said, “This project marks a significant milestone in our renewed partnership with Thailand—bringing critical infrastructure to local communities while protecting the country’s unique natural assets that support local economies.”

Connecting Communities

TRIP promises to connect communities in the Songkhla Lake region through the construction of two new, crucially weather-resistant bridges. According to plans, the new Songkhla Lake Bridge will link Songkhla and Phatthalung provinces via a seven-kilometer roadway across Songkhla Lake. At present, an 80-kilometer or roughly two-hour, detour stands in the path of travelers between the two regions.

TRIP aims to reduce this journey to a mere 10 minutes. Additional plans include the construction of the Kho Lanta Bridge, a two-kilometer roadway connecting Krabi on the mainland to Koh Lanta, a Songkhla Lake island. Kwanpadh Suddhi-Dhamakit, a senior officer for Thailand at the World Bank, stressed in a social media post last month that plans consider the region’s environmental challenges and draw on examples of past natural disasters.

Indeed, southern Thailand’s climate dictates that both bridges incorporate weather-resilient engineering in their design. Floods, storms and sea-level rise all pose distinct threats to communities around Songkhla Lake in the coming years. The presence of the Kho Lanta and Songkhla Lake bridges strengthens future evacuation routes for local communities.

Economic Importance

On the project, Suddhi-Dhamakit said, “Improved connectivity is expected to support job creation during construction and long-term employment through tourism and local economic activity.” In this way, TRIP holds significant economic importance for the areas surrounding Songkhla Lake. Southern Thailand’s economic growth trails behind that of the rest of the country.

The poverty rate there is 7.4%, more than double the national average. Connectivity plays an important role in the job market because transportation bottlenecks can impede the ability of residents to attend markets and access services and other employment opportunities. The construction of the two new bridges stands to benefit the local population initially by providing construction jobs.

It will later allow easier access to other employment through improved transportation infrastructure. Three million tourists also pass through the region each year, a number experts expect to rise with the area’s improved travel connections.

Final Thoughts

While the project remains in its infancy, support from the World Bank represents a monumental step toward its eventual realization. Negative environmental trade-offs often materialize in large-scale infrastructure development, such as what TRIP proposes. Nonetheless, the project aims to bridge the gap by simultaneously developing Thai infrastructure and protecting local biodiversity.

– Louis Sartori

Louis is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future

Belize Fund for a Sustainable FutureIn the coastal community of Chunox, members of the local fishermen’s association are now planning the construction of a new multipurpose building, a hub for training, meetings and budding small businesses. Their project is one of the first “Community Grants” awarded by the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (BFSF), designed to build the capacity of grassroots organizations to manage money and create sustainable local livelihoods. This restorative endowment in a fishing village’s economic future is a tangible measure of the Blue Bond’s success, showcasing one of the developing world’s most innovative financial mechanisms.

Belize’s 2021 “Blue Bond” is a landmark debt-for-nature swap that may finally spell freedom from foreign debt entrapment and the revival of a degenerated sovereign economy.

The Problem & The Financial Innovation

For years, Belize’s economy struggled with unsustainable public debt, which reached 127% of GDP in 2020. In an agonizing retelling of a story unfolding in countless nations across the developing world, the cost of servicing this debt drained resources from critical needs, including the stability of Belize’s vital coastal communities. As a result, virtually every major district was plundered deeper into destitution, with an average 10% increase in poverty rates from 2009 to 2018 and increases as high as 22% in the coastal district of Toledo, where poverty rates reached 82%.

The breakthrough came in a deal which The Nature Conservancy (TNC) brokered. It bought back Belize’s old, expensive debt and replaced it with a new, cheaper “Blue Loan.” The terms of the agreement stipulated that Belize was legally obligated to redirect a portion of its debt savings—an estimated BZ$360 million over 20 years—into a dedicated conservation fund. This money went into the newly created, independently managed Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (BFSF). In effect, the deal not only alleviated a noteworthy portion of Belize’s debt obligation but also contained an internal mechanism that operates to develop Belize’s economic self-sufficiency and by extension, its means of independently repaying its remaining debts, ensuring the Blue Bond’s success.

Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future: The Impact

The BFSF, established as the vessel for this investment stream, is a private conservation trust fund which a board with a non-governmental majority governs. Its mission is to mobilize investment for the responsible development of Belize’s coastal resources. In its first three years, the BFSF has committed BZ$25.8 million for projects, disbursing BZ$7.2 million directly to non-government partners and BZ$8.1 million to government programs. The Fund’s strategy focuses on thematic pillars like Sustainable Fisheries and Blue Business Innovation, making it clear that the Blue Bond’s success is contingent upon poverty alleviation of coastal communities.

From Finance to Livelihoods

The true measure of the Blue Bond’s success is in the projects it enables, which build economic capacity within communities dependent on functioning marine ecosystems

A principle imperative of the agreement is revitalizing the coastal foundation of the “blue economy’s”. Through its Community Grants program, the BFSF provides direct funding to local fisher groups like The Chunox Fishermen Association, which received a grant to construct a community building and train members in entrepreneurship to launch micro-businesses, according to the 2024 report. Similarly, the Shark Fishers Association received funds to train junior fishers in sustainable practices and international compliance.

Beyond fishing, grants also help with seed diversification and sow complexity into the coastal economy. One project trained tour guides in marine ecology to build a skilled workforce for sustainable tourism, while another explores creating a sustainable seaweed farming industry, according to the 2024 report.

For broader impact, the BFSF makes strategic allocations to government agencies. The largest is a BZ$3.04 million grant to the Belize Fisheries Department to strengthen fisheries governance and enforce policies for ecological conservation, according to the 2024 report.

This funding also directly supports national initiatives like the Oceans Economy and Trade Strategies (OETS) project, which aims to improve fishers’ livelihoods by promoting sustainable harvests and adding value to seafood. By resourcing the government’s own poverty-reduction strategies, the Blue Bond mechanism amplifies its reach to raise incomes for thousands.

The Bigger Picture

The Belize Blue Bond’s legacy is unfolding on multiple fronts. The deal has already helped Belize expand its marine biodiversity protection zones to 25% of its ocean space, contributing to a cautiously hopeful improvement in the health of the Mesoamerican Reef.

Financially, analysts hail the deal’s “credible climate conservation commitments” as an important evolution in green finance, creating a binding link between debt relief and on-the-ground investment. Indeed, this robust structure has already served as a blueprint for similar swaps in Barbados, Ecuador, and Gabon

Belize’s model demonstrates that solving a national debt crisis goes hand in hand with investing in local economic livelihoods. By legally mandating that debt savings flow into a community-focused trust fund, it turns a macroeconomic problem into a microeconomic solution. The Blue Bond is now saving the ocean itself while funding a sustainable future for the people who live beside it. For other nations navigating the concatenating perils of a public debt crisis and disaster vulnerability, Belize offers a powerful precedent: with innovative structuring, the tools of global finance can help build resilience from the bottom up, proving that economic stability and poverty reduction can stem from the same source.

– Georgio Moussa

Georgio is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Displacement in Asia as Natural Disasters Sweep the Continent

displacement asiaIn 2025, a series of extreme weather events swept through the eastern hemisphere, causing widespread displacement in Asia. Hundreds of families and refugees are unhoused or experience forced displacement from floods or sudden land erosion, leading many to lose food resources when livestock and crops are adversely affected by the damage.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Thailand are a few of the many countries with a rising number of people who are struggle with displacement in Asia because of natural disasters. Hundreds have died or gone missing after getting trapped by the elements, blocking them inside the villages they live. Increasing water levels and blockages from large boulders or mud cause houses to get submerged by the aftermath of a mudslide.

Local government shelters provide temporary housing for the unhoused populations, including residents living along the Kelani River in Sri Lanka, northern Kurigram, Bangladesh, and even in Diourbel, Senegal.

Sri Lanka

During the monsoon season, Sri Lanka experienced damage from mudslides and floods, causing forced displacement and homelessness. According to the BBC, the Disaster Management Centre reported that, with the destruction of 20,000 homes due to severe natural disasters, 108,000 people had to relocate to temporary shelters.

The island is still recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah, which left a portion of the country without access to water or power, resulting in emergency evacuations.

Since it is monsoon season in Sri Lanka, the effects of intense weather and the changing climate are having adverse effects. These deadly floods have not only killed hundreds of people, but these disasters impacted Indonesia, as well as Thailand and Malaysia, with a high number of deaths in Kandy and Badulla, Sri Lanka.

Consequently, the latest natural disasters are the worst in Sri Lanka’s history, making it challenging to rebuild. However, resources are limited, forcing the Sri Lankan government to resort to sending an appeal for international aid and encouraging residents to raise money for struggling communities. Saman Kumara from the Badulla village of Maspanna shared his experience with the BBC via telephone, saying, “We lost two people in our village… others are sheltering in a temple and a house that is still standing. There is no food, and we are running out of clean water.”

Bangladesh

In certain parts of Bangladesh, the collapse of riverbanks continues to erode land each year. Hundreds of families and refugees face dispdue todisplacement from sudden land erosion, leading many to lose food resources when livestock and crops face damages. Data from the World Bank reveals that one in seven Bangladeshis face displacement due to severe natural disasters by 2050.

Extreme weather events, such as monsoons and melting glaciers, destroy land near rivers. Displacement affects families suffering from the loss of vital resources.

Despite these hardships, Bangladesh invests heavily in the country’s infrastructure. Modern preventive measures include the addition of embankments, quality storm forecasting, and modifications that focus on supporting communities, Reuters reports.

In addition, communities in Kheyar Alga Char, Bangladesh, were able to continue living in their homes. This was possible because community groups collaborated to implement resistant materials, including Geobags that reinforce the stability of riverbanks. Local NGOs are assisting with rebuilding villages by constructing homes raised above ground, keeping water out. In an Interview with Reuters, Johurul Islam lost his home multiple times before relocating to benefit from the modern infrastructure in Kheyar Alga Char, Bangladesh. Islam said, “Geobags have made a huge difference. For the last three years, the river did not take our land. For the first time, I feel a little confident about the future.”

Refugees

Since 2010, refugees from Bangladesh and Senegal have been fleeing from repeated storms and flooding, making parts of these regions uninhabitable. Ultimately, this pressures displaced migrants to seek asylum in other countries to avoid displacement in Asia. Reporting from The Guardian found that displaced people from Feni, Bangladesh and Diourbel, Senegal, struggled with environmental destruction, causing more than 237,000 asylum seekers to find emergency shelter in New York City since April 2022.

Severe weather storms destroyed homes and the vitality of crops in the western and central regions of Senegal. Columbia Journalism Investigations notes that more than 1,800 displaced Senegalese migrants fled an aggressive series of storms between 2019 and 2024.

Felipe Navarro, Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy for the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at the University of California’s College of the Law, explains how Irreparable damage, in combination with inefficient government responses to hurricanes and floods, force people to leave. While some residents, like Mohamed’s family from Diourbel in Senegal, were able to minimize the damage themselves. According to The Guardian, Mohamed’s brother a teacher living in Senegal, built a house with a solid foundation constructed using sand, gravel, and cement, preventing water from flooding the home.

The Path Forward

Within Asia, some countries are predisposed to cycles of floods and storms, benefiting from UNICEF’s programs and partners. These programs provide preventative treatments, such as vaccines given to children to protect them from diseases. Providing malnutrition intervention to improve health. Emergency hygiene materials and equipment, shielding children from severe weather conditions, has also assisted in preserving the lives of children in South Asian countries.

Although UNICEF directs its services towards children, there have been expansions to support families and communities that suffer from climate-related emergencies. UNICEF partners with donors, governments, and civil society groups to continue reducing the number of displaced in Asia.

Advancing services to support vulnerable populations is UNICEF’s priority, while its efforts assist displaced children and families by preserving lives and reducing displacement in Asia.

– Lala McCullough

Lala is based in Brentwood, CA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Waste-to-Fuel Microfactories in Lagos

Waste-to-Fuel Microfactories in LagosLagos faces two interconnected challenges that disproportionately affect low-income communities: mounting waste accumulation and unreliable access to affordable energy. The city generates 13,000 metric tons of waste every day, including plastics, organics and other refuse, and waste management systems struggle to keep up with rapid urban growth. This inconsistency contributes to environmental degradation and heightened health risks in densely populated neighborhoods. Waste-to-fuel microfactories in Lagos offer a community-level approach to this dual challenge by proposing systems that convert solid waste into usable fuels and energy products. By turning discarded materials into resources, these systems expand clean energy access while creating income opportunities and reducing landfill pressure.

Lagos’s shift toward circular waste strategies seeks to move beyond disposal toward resource recovery, allowing communities to benefit economically from materials previously considered waste. Waste-to-fuel microfactories in Lagos could function as decentralized hubs where plastic waste, agricultural scraps and organics become fuels like briquettes, biogas or process heat for local use.

Local Waste Processing Reduces Environmental Burden

Lagos is advancing circular waste economy and energy recovery partnerships that aim to harness the inherent value of solid waste rather than burden landfills. For example, the state is actively working to replace its linear waste model with one focusing on energy recovery and material reuse, reflecting a broader strategy to transform waste into resources.

The Lagos State Government has signed a partnership with Harvest Waste Consortium, a Dutch company that will build a waste-to-energy plant at the Epe landfill using advanced technology to convert municipal, commercial and industrial waste into clean energy. This facility could generate usable electrical power and provide a model for how waste-to-fuel microfactories might function at smaller, community scales.

Additionally, collaboration between Lagos State and Lafarge Africa aims to convert non-recyclable combustible waste into alternative fuel for industrial use, an initiative that demonstrates how waste can become fuel for energy and production rather than end up in dumpsites.

Public Health, Jobs and Economic Opportunities

Beyond large waste-to-energy facilities, Lagos is positioning waste as a source of economic value. A recent forum on waste management emphasized that waste should be seen as “wealth we recover,” highlighting the potential for new jobs in waste collection, sorting, processing and energy conversion. This shift toward circular strategies supports livelihoods and provides training and employment for local residents, demonstrating how waste-to-fuel microfactories could create income streams at community level.

Traditional solid fuels like charcoal and kerosene contribute to indoor air pollution and respiratory illness, particularly among low-income households. Waste-derived energy products, including briquettes or biogas, burn more cleanly and could reduce harmful emissions when adopted at household or community levels. Research on waste-to-energy technologies in Nigeria notes the potential public health gains when municipal solid waste is converted to usable energy rather than left to decompose in open dumps.

Circular Economy Models Strengthen Urban Resilience

Lagos officials have acknowledged that waste is an untapped economic opportunity, and strategic circular economy plans aim to build systems that treat waste as a resource. Experts say that sustainable energy recovery strategies — including pyrolysis and other waste conversion technologies, offer a pathway toward economic growth, reduced environmental impact and enhanced energy security in Nigeria’s largest city.

Waste-to-fuel microfactories in Lagos, though still emerging, fit within a larger movement toward circular waste management, energy recovery and community-focused economic opportunity. By transforming waste into usable fuels and energy products, these systems could reduce landfill burdens, create jobs and expand access to cleaner energy for underserved communities. With continued investment, supportive policy frameworks and community engagement, Lagos’s approach to waste-to-fuel technologies can play a meaningful role in addressing both environmental and socioeconomic challenges in the city.

– Shahzeb Khan

Shahzeb is based in San Ramon, CA, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Productive Safety Net Program Combats Poverty in Ethiopia

Productive Safety Net ProgramEthiopia launched the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in 2005 to reduce food insecurity and strengthen resilience to climate-related shocks. The program operates through cash transfers, public works and targeted nutrition support. According to the Climate Policy Initiative, the program reaches more than 8 million households each year, representing more than 7% of the population.

Background

The Climate Policy Initiative reports that Phase V of the PSNP began in November 2020 under the Strengthen Ethiopia’s Adaptive Safety Net Project. This project received a $200 million credit and a $312.5 million grant. It also received $430 million from USAID, $281 million from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and $600 million from the Government of Ethiopia.

This phase aims to expand the geographic scope of the program, improve PSNP implementation and strengthen disaster response efforts. These objectives support broader policy goals. According to the European External Action Service, this focuses on reducing extreme poverty in targeted rural areas and strengthening household resilience to recurrent shocks. 

It also aims to prevent harmful coping mechanisms, promote sustainable livelihoods and improve food security and access to essential services for vulnerable populations.

Project Components

The PSNP includes a range of components and policies. The European External Action Service reports that this program provides cash or food payments to about seven million people who participate in public works initiatives. Participants receive benefits for up to six months while engaging in community-building tasks.

One million people identified as chronically impoverished or unable to work receive unconditional benefits for 12 months. The program implements public works projects in both livestock-based and non-livestock-based areas to protect residents from resource losses linked to poverty and disasters. These projects focus on strengthening infrastructure, improving soil and water conservation and supporting environmental protection efforts.

Some policies include developing roads and schools, planting seedlings for reforestation, preventing soil erosion and creating or rehabilitating irrigation systems. PSNP provides financial and social services to beneficiaries. This program facilitates grants and loans for farming and nonfarming activities to support poverty reduction.

This program connects beneficiaries to social support services across nutrition, health and education. The Shock Responsive Safety Net administers assistance to beneficiaries facing food insecurity, particularly those affected by droughts and other shocks.

Environmental Shocks

Environmental policy plays a key role in the PSNP. As stated by the European External Action Service, integrating climate shift adaptation into public works projects helps minimize the impact of climate shocks on food insecurity. For example, watershed rehabilitation and area closures can promote vegetation growth for livestock feed.

In addition, environmental management efforts can lessen the risk of landslides, floods and soil erosion. According to the World Bank, a significant portion of Ethiopia’s population depends on rain-fed agriculture. The country has endured recurrent droughts in previous decades, historically occurring every three to five years.

While the frequency of environmental shocks has varied over the years, they remain a consistent concern that has shaped Ethiopia’s social protection response. The World Bank further states that droughts and famines have affected millions of people over multiple periods. Environmental degradation, weak resource management and shrinking landholdings driven by constraints in policy implementation have worsened the effects of droughts.

These factors have led to the degradation of productive assets and the erosion of household and community resilience.

Economic Impacts

Programs like the Productive Safety Net Program help stabilize incomes and productive assets, enabling households to participate in local and regional markets. By reducing financial uncertainty connected to recurrent shocks, PSNP helps create a predictable economic environment that supports trade and investment. Over time, these factors can expand consumer markets and reinforce supply chains, creating trade opportunities for companies based in the U.S. and the U.K.

– Sasha Banaei

Sasha is based in San Diego, CA, USA and focuses on Business and New Markets for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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From Trash to Treasure: Southeast Asia’s Recycling Revolution

Southeast Asia’s RecyclingMillions of families in Southeast Asia reside in areas where pollution and poverty coexist. Plastic waste is not only an eyesore but also a daily risk in areas with poor waste collection and significant unemployment. However, the region is demonstrating that the same plastic pollution that causes environmental degradation may also serve as a vehicle for community development and financial security.

Today, Southeast Asia’s recycling revolution is gaining momentum, with creative recycling initiatives in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines demonstrating that poverty reduction and environmental action can truly coexist.

A Crisis That Hits Low-Income Communities Hardest

Southeast Asia is facing an enormous and growing plastic problem. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the ASEAN + East Asia region consumed 152 million tons of plastic in 2022, nearly nine times more than in 1990. More than 56% of plastic waste is improperly managed due to inadequate waste management systems; it is frequently burned or disposed of in waterways near low-income areas.

The OECD predicts that the region’s plastic leakage might rise by 68% by 2050 if serious action is not taken. This situation is already more than just an environmental problem for families living near unofficial dumpsites or those who rely on waste picking for a living; it’s a public health and poverty issue.

Vietnam: Recycling as a Path to Livelihoods

One of the best examples of how community-led recycling may improve life in the region is Vietnam’s Greenhub initiative. The organization trained more than 33,000 people in recycling, waste reduction and community cleanups in 2024. It gathered 143,000 kg of garbage, which would otherwise clog drainage systems during floods or contaminate coastlines.

Cleaner surroundings are just one of the many advantages. Four hundred thirty informal waste collectors received training from Greenhub in 2022, enabling them to sort waste more effectively, earn a higher income and work safely. Improvements in this area have the potential to significantly reduce poverty because Vietnam’s informal waste sector is massive, with 10,000 to 16,000 workers sorting and collecting waste every day in just Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

The expanding circular economy movement in Vietnam is also making room for businesspeople who repurpose plastic trash into home goods, crafts and building materials. In both rural and urban areas, these microbusinesses provide new revenue streams and jobs.

Indonesia: Cooperatives Boost Stability for Waste Pickers

Indonesia has some of the highest rates of improper garbage management in the world. The issue is both geographical and financial, due to the thousands of islands and inadequate infrastructure for waste collection. According to OECD estimates, if no changes are made, Indonesia’s plastic waste is projected to increase from 6.5 million tonnes in 2022 to 18 million tonnes by 2050.

The core of Indonesia’s recycling system consists of informal waste pickers, many of whom earn significantly less than the minimum wage. They gather significantly more recyclables than formal and governmental systems put together. However, despite its significance, many people lack a steady source of income, adequate safety equipment or social safety nets.

Cooperative recycling centers are emerging to fill that gap. By organizing waste pickers into formal groups, these centers help workers secure fairer pricing, gain access to equipment and work in safer conditions. Some cooperatives report that members have doubled their income or, for the first time, achieved steady monthly profits.

However, there are still difficulties. Indonesia received 262,900 tons of plastic waste in 2024 and investigations revealed that some discarded plastics were being burned as inexpensive fuel in small-scale operations. This underscores the critical need for safe and sustainable recycling methods that protect people in need.

The Philippines: When Recycling Puts Food on the Table

The Philippines produces 2.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with the majority of this waste coming from single-use sachets used for products such as condiments and shampoos. However, local organizations are coming up with innovative ways to transform waste into opportunity. A “trash-for-rice” program in Mabini, Batangas, collected 4.3 tonnes of plastic and provided low-income residents with 2.6 tonnes of rice in return.

Other programs, such as TrashCashPH, utilize mobile apps to offer individuals cash, groceries or service discounts when they bring in sorted recyclables. Meanwhile, refill systems allow customers to purchase things at a reasonable price without producing additional plastic. Cash-strapped homes benefit greatly from Greenpeace’s “Kuha sa Tingi” refill trial, which helped eliminate 50,000 plastic sachets and saved consumers an average of 201% compared to regular sachet purchases.

Economic and Environmental Wins

These initiatives demonstrate that reducing plastic pollution can have immediate, tangible effects. As part of the growing Southeast Asia recycling revolution, some of the most impoverished families in the region can earn more steady incomes through waste cooperatives and recycling incentives. By enhancing workplace safety, stability and dignity, training and protective regulations help empower informal workers, many of whom are women.

By 2030, recycling improperly disposed of plastic garbage in South and Southeast Asia could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200 million tons. The reductions show how regional waste management strategies can significantly advance global climate goals. Everyone lives in safer environments when streets, rivers and coastal areas are cleaner.

Communities experience fewer floods, reduced health risks and improved public health overall when waste that blocks drains and waterways is minimized, particularly in low-income districts that are typically the most severely impacted.

A Blueprint for Change

According to OECD estimates, plastic leakage in Southeast Asia could be reduced by 95% by 2050 with robust policies, including increased producer accountability, improved collection systems and investment in recycling. However, communities are some of the most potent forces behind Southeast Asia’s recycling changes, not the government.

Recycling has evolved from an environmental initiative in Southeast Asia into a driving force behind Southeast Asia’s recycling revolution. It serves as both a source of local empowerment and an economic lifeline. One bottle, sachet or piece of plastic at a time, these “trash to treasure” examples demonstrate how communities may create safer, cleaner and more prosperous futures with the proper support.

– Katelyn Leano

Katelyn is based in Plainfield, IL, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay