The recovery of ecosystems saves lives
It is fundamental to develop new funding models for the private sector, environmental and humanitarian organizations, and governments can be able to work together and bet on preventive measures.
The humanitarian sector has its hands full in responding to humanitarian crises. Between 2007 and 2018, the number of people in need of help grew from 26 to 98 million. Besides, the sector lives a chronic lack of funding: globally, from 25.2 billion dollars (about €22.8 million) of the needed financing in 2018, only 15 billion dollars (about €13.5 billion) were received, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA, 2018).
Natural disasters are a certainty, however, we can help and better people’s lives with the same resources if we use them for prevention. According to the Dutch Red Cross’ Princess Margriet fund, for every euro spent in prevention, it is possible to save 7 euros spent on answering to natural disasters. Even more important, it saves lives.
The recovery of the ecosystem should occupy first place when speaking about prevention, in the sense that many causes and solutions for the risk of catastrophes come from the degrading environment. The humanitarian sector should then bet more deepening its experience in the ecosystems’ recovery to increase resilience in vulnerable communities. Its a difficult and complex approach but, when successful, the gain is infinite.
Source: Jornal Económico
Author: Wendeline van der Feltz, member of The Lisbon MBA Alumni club and Senior Capacity Development Associate in the Dutch Development Bank.
Read the full article here (content in Portuguese).
It is fundamental to develop new funding models for the private sector, environmental and humanitarian organizations, and governments can be able to work together and bet on preventive measures.
The humanitarian sector has its hands full in responding to humanitarian crises. Between 2007 and 2018, the number of people in need of help grew from 26 to 98 million. Besides, the sector lives a chronic lack of funding: globally, from 25.2 billion dollars (about €22.8 million) of the needed financing in 2018, only 15 billion dollars (about €13.5 billion) were received, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA, 2018).
Natural disasters are a certainty, however, we can help and better people’s lives with the same resources if we use them for prevention. According to the Dutch Red Cross’ Princess Margriet fund, for every euro spent in prevention, it is possible to save 7 euros spent on answering to natural disasters. Even more important, it saves lives.
The recovery of the ecosystem should occupy first place when speaking about prevention, in the sense that many causes and solutions for the risk of catastrophes come from the degrading environment. The humanitarian sector should then bet more deepening its experience in the ecosystems’ recovery to increase resilience in vulnerable communities. Its a difficult and complex approach but, when successful, the gain is infinite.
Source: Jornal Económico
Author: Wendeline van der Feltz, member of The Lisbon MBA Alumni club and Senior Capacity Development Associate in the Dutch Development Bank.
Read the full article here (content in Portuguese).
