Target: Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UN Environment Programme
Goal: Support assessment and action plans for environmental damage caused by Tigray conflict.
Tigray’s warring factions may be in a vulnerable period of peace, but the legacy of death, displacement, and destruction will linger for decades to come. Much emphasis, rightfully so, has been placed on the humanitarian toll. The environmental toll for this region that was once known as a benchmark of successful land restoration practices is equally consequential.
The communities of Tigray are heavily dependent on agriculture, so natural elements were often the targets of deliberate attack. Even the collateral damage was extensive, from poisonous residue to razed and burned woodlands. In the immediate aftermath of the worst of this war, a thorough environmental assessment of the damage—with the input of the communities most affected–needs to happen. Moreover, clearance of hazardous materials, rebuilding of environmental research facilities, and restorative plans of action should be devised and implemented.
The United Nations (UN) is in the best position to help realize these important goals. Sign the petition below to urge extensive UN involvement in the environmental rejuvenizing of this ravaged land.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Executive Director Andersen,
A once-proud template for re-vegetation, soil quality, and overall land restoration can be so once again with your aid. Tigray was all of these things before conflict and turmoil plunged its people and its environment into chaos. Now, the fates of Tigray’s lands and its communities are inseparably intertwined. Humanitarian assistance needs to incorporate environmental wellness because the land drives so much of this region’s economy. Rebuilding society will necessitate rebuilding and restoring the environment.
The targeted environmental assessments, hazardous material cleanup, restoration of research branches (such as the Tigray Agricultural Research Institute), and expansion of eco-friendly resources like urban farming cannot be accomplished by this still-struggling region alone. Please deploy dedicated teams to assist Tigray’s people in recapturing their livelihoods and saving their beautiful lands.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Ando96
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