Climate Change

Predictions for our changing climate paint an alarming picture—rising sea levels, changing weather patterns, and increased incidences of natural disaster e.g., the latest hurricanes in USA and Caribbean nations all threaten to greatly impact human life. While climate change impacts everyone, degrading resources and increasing instability will most greatly affect the lives of rural poorer people, the majority of whom are women, who depend upon natural resources for their livelihoods

Bare land due to lack of rain

In communities that rely on their environments to provide basic food, water, and energy resources, the impacts of climate change can be devastating. Too much or too little water can decimate crops and force migration. As vital resources become scarce, more time is devoted to resource collection, less healthy options are exploited, and less sustainable practices are employed. For those who survive off natural resources, climate change presents a challenge that most communities are simply not prepared to face.

One of our film shows.

 

Despite the grim predictions, there is hope. The communities that most rely on natural resources can be equipped with knowledge to adapt to changes while also serving as a powerful force to mitigate future climate impacts. At Amara, we recognize the powerful role that communities bordering protected areas play, and as the primary users of these resources, the role they can play in bolstering their community’s resiliency. To ensure this, we educate them through film shows, workshops/barazas to be responsible and manage their resources and renew their environments. When these people are empowered to become stewards of their environments the result is communities that are better able to adapt to changes. As resource degradation is both a result and a cause of climate change, women and men alike are enabled to restore degraded ecosystems and reduce activities that affect climate change