Our planet today is in the middle of an emergency. The intensifying climate crisis, biodiversity loss and rising pollution levels are leading to newer forms of vulnerabilities and deprivations disrupting people’s lives and livelihoods. Marginalised populations are the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change, despite being the least responsible for it.

ActionAid Association’s long experience with ground engagements has taught us how crucial it is to make local communities – in rural and urban contexts – the custodians of ecological resources. Their participation and leadership in climate change action are vital to securing social and ecological justice. As a Global Federation, ActionAid is launching an international campaign to build solidarities worldwide, especially in the Global South, to build the resilience of vulnerable communities and empower them to secure climate justice.

On the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5, our teams across several states organised programmes together with communities in line with this year’s theme, #OnlyOneEarth. Children and young women’s groups across several locations in Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha carried out plantation drives and sensitised local communities on the urgent need to protect and restore Earth. Our teams and volunteers in Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur and Shamli districts of Uttar Pradesh also conducted similar programmes. We are pleased to share with you that on this occasion, Ms. Geetika Sharma, District Magistrate, North-East Delhi, presented ActionAid Association with a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding support in ‘Contributing to Environmental Protection’.