Commitment to protect our Nature

Our Earth, home to 8.7 million species is on the brink of sixth mass extinction, largely due to environmental degradation caused by human actions like deforestation, poaching, overfishing and global warming. Population growth, development activities such as road construction, irrigation, dams, hydroelectric projects and housing exert pressure on forest and agricultural land, which are increasingly associated with long-term environmental deterioration.

Since 1972, Environment day has been celebrated all over the world. Every year on 5^th June people celebrate “Environment Day” conducting various activities that includes national and international level seminars, plantations and awareness activities.

In the previous years, Caritas Nepal (CN) celebrated this day conducting various activities in coordination with partners in different project locations. But this year, due to Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, CN celebrated “Environment Day 2020” virtually for the first time connecting staffs from all the CN offices (Central and District offices), bring together all in one platform.

CN since its initial phase with an objective to mitigate disaster such as floods and landslides in prone areas, has been supporting plantation activities and also raising awareness in communities (including schools) about environmental degradation and its preventive measures. 

Though most vulnerable communities are aware of preventive measures, they lack involvement therefore; CN conducts series of plantation activities in the project areas on Environment Day involving these vulnerable communities.

Through agricultural interventions, CN projects have been ensuring plastic and pesticide free farming models assisting farmers towards improved organic ways of farming which has been showing massive impact in farmer’s health and economic development.

“Celebrating Laudato Si, an appeal of Pope Francis to care for our Mother Nature”: As the theme of this year was “giving time for nature”, 4,993 saplings were planted in our working areas covering 20 districts by 1,864 participants in coordination with the Government and local partners. The Laudato Si week was also celebrated by CN family virtually which included information sharing and plantation (individually at home) of at least one plant on the 7th day (last day) of the Laudato Si week. 

CN expresses its commitment and continued support to combat environmental problems in the country and work for the betterment of the community in socio-economic sector making people realize the consequences of environment degradation.

On 5^th June 2020, as a part of World Environment Day celebration, CN organized an online seminar session.

Read Meeting minutes of the virtual meeting session