Palestinian Earth Walk a Head of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow
Hebron -West Bank – More than 27 young participants participated in Earth walk in Wadi Al-Kuf natural reserve in Hebron Governorate in the south of West Bank. Youth had walked for 6 Km exploring different parts of this reserve which is considered the largest natural reserve in the West Bank and its area is estimated at 3500 dunums. This walk is organized as part of DANIDA’s civil society program in cooperation with the Palestinian Environment Quality Authority (PEQA) and Palestinian Agriculture Directorate in Hebron Governorate. This coincided with preparation for 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021 .
(photo of youth participating in Palestinian Earth Walk in Wadi Al-Kuf reserve in solidarity with Palestinian natural reserves a head of UN Climate Change Summit (COP 26))
This walk aimed at promoting the role of Palestinian youth in responding to climate crisis and implementing safe environmental initiatives for tackling problems caused by climate change and Israeli practices. This walk highlighted the issue of the climate crisis and its negative impacts on earth and Israeli practices committed against Palestinian Land.
The youth were briefed by the Palestinian environment expert in(PEQA), Jamal Tmizi about Palestinian natural reserves and their challenges affecting the sustainability and mechanisms required to maintain these reserves . He also highlighted the role of AAP and its work with governmental organizations to raise the awareness of Palestinian youth about the importance of saving the Palestinian environment and necessity of combating climate change as it strongly threatens all of us.
(photo of the Palestinian environmental expert , Jama Tmazi while he was briefing the Palestinian youth about challenges facing the Palestinian reserves)
Through the walk, the youth sent their messages to world leaders who will participate in COP26 urging them to tackle the policies and practices of Israeli occupation impeding the Palestinian in tackling climate crisis. They also demanded them to challenge the existing planning and permit regime, the inequality of water allocation and provide protection for Palestinian environment and its natural resources and increase funding for climate change adaptation interventions.
(photo of Palestinian youth participating in Palestinian Earth Walk in Wadi Al-Kuf reserve in solidarity with Palestinian reserve a head of UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26))
The impacts of climate change caused by high temperatures and change of weather include scarcity of water, low of soil fertility and low productivity of some agricultural crops in Occupied Palestinian Territory(oPt). However, the Palestinian living in area “C” of West Bank have exacerbated suffering as they do not only suffer from climate crisis, but they also suffer from Israeli practices that prevent them from using techniques for adaptation with this crisis. For example, Palestinians have limited control over water resources in this area. Recently, due to climate change, rainfall fluctuations and long dry periods without rain reduce annual rainfall and the quantity of rainwater available. The construction or extension of wells, cisterns, pipelines is costly for Palestinians, and it is impeded by Israeli restrictions.
(general photo of Wadi Al-kuf reserve )
Saif Salmieh (32 years old) from Hebron Governorate sees: “ the climate crisis has impacts him through high temperatures and low productivity of agricultural crops and high prices of Palestinian vegetables and fruit due to cold and hot weather . We also cannot plant trees in some parts of area “C” . We will feel excluded in UN COP26 if the role of Israeli occupation in exacerbating this crisis is not discussed and tackled. This walk will convey our messages about different aspects of climate crisis. We demanded world leaders to design plans to control the impact of technological development on climate and give more attention to Palestinian environment”.
(photo of Saif (wearing white blouse ) who participated in Earth walk in Wadi Al-Kuf reserve in the south of West Bank ).
Jenan Al-Ja’abri is a Palestinian young woman living in the south of West Bank
Climate crisis and change affects our life and Israeli occupation exacerbates our suffering resulting from climate when it prevents us from entering essential equipment to our areas needed for adaption with climate crisis .Climate change decreases the income of women who depend on agriculture since the production of agricultural crops will be decreased due to rising temperatures and this raises rate of poverty among women and causes rising prices .The Policies of Israeli occupation increases challenges of work for rural women in rural areas where women have to carry additional workloads in providing water as Israel prevents them from digging ground water in Area “C”. Climate change crisis decreases work opportunities for women in the field of agriculture due climate challenges.
This Earth walk helps us to send our messages to world leaders meeting in UN climate Summit in Glasgow. We demand them to pay attention to this crisis in Palestine .We demand the world leaders to practice pressures on Israeli government to respect the environmental conventions and allow the Palestinians to deal with climate crisis by allowing them to construct wells, plant trees and entry of agricultural equipment to their lands .We have the right to protect our environment and overcome this crisis”.
(photo of Jenan who participated in Earth Walk in Wadi Al-Kuf reserve in the south of West Bank )
Nibal Al-A’adbrahe(20 years old) is a Palestinian young woman participated in this Walk : “ climate change affect trees and agricultural crops and high temperatures threatens the food security because not all of us can buy different kinds of vegetables and fruits due to their high prices . Climate change will impede the Palestinian youth who are interested in agriculture from finding agricultural jobs since the challenges in sector of agriculture resulting from climate change cannot be addressed due to Israeli practices and restrictions imposed on using modern technology and tools for adapting with climate crisis and agricultural problems in “Area C” . UN COP26 should raise the Palestinian issue and Israeli occupation with regard to Climate crisis. This walk is kind of solidarity with us and we demand the world leaders to practice pressures on Israel to respect the environmental rights of Palestinians since enjoying the right to have safe and clean environment is human right”.
(Photo of Nibal who participated in earth Walk in Wadi Al-Kuf reserve in the south of West Bank)
Renad Alqam is a Palestinian young woman (21 years old) living in the village of Beit Ummar participated in Earth walk. Renad is similar to another Palestinian women and young women who are affected by climate crisis.
(photo of Renad who participated in Earth walk in Wadi al-Kuf reserve in the south of West Bank)
“Climate change causes us many viruses and lack of oxygen. We cannot find all the kinds of herbs and trees that used to be spread all over Palestine. They disappeared due to this climate crisis and high temperatures .As a young woman living in village, the climate crisis affects the agricultural crops and decreases their productivity as olive trees , olive trees this year experience low production due to hotness . Israeli occupation affects the capacity of Palestinian farmers and Palestinian in overcoming this crisis. Global warming affects the water resources. Scarcity of water needs digging and establishing ground wells and tanks to collect rainfall needed for irrigating agricultural crops. Israeli policies impede digging or construction of ground wells in Area “C” which is under the full of Israeli authority. Palestinians in this area are also prevented from using different equipment to deal with this crisis”
We are excluded as Palestinians. The final statement of the UN Cop26 climate summit should take into consideration the impact of occupation on climate crisis in Palestine as its polices impede the implementation of the initiatives of Palestinians for dealing with climate crisis.
Earth Walk helped us to raise our voice and message by highlighting the climate crisis in Palestine and inform the world about different sides of climate crisis in Palestine as it needs to be solved on different levels”
World leaders should give more attention and consideration to the climate crisis in Palestinian and the problems of Palestinian environment resulting from climate change and Practices of Israeli government. They should practice pressures on Israeli government to respect the rights of Palestinian farmers specially the right to movement and them to utilize different means that could help them in overcoming the climate crisis. Because climate crisis is a global crisis affects all the world and all the people and Palestinians have the right to enjoy the right to tackle this crisis and live in healthy environment”.
Background Information
ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty in more than 45 countries around the world. AAP started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.
For more information, please contact
Riham Jafari
Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Palestine
Mobile:
+972 (0) 595242890
Office:
+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137
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