ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION

Improving the implementation of access to information, public participation, and access to justice ensures that informed decisions are made and that all sectors of society have a say in decisions that affect their health and environment, which can improve the effectiveness of efforts to combat pollution and other forms of environmental degradation, natural resource preservation, and climate resilience, while also building public trust and decreasing environmental conflict. To include and safeguard the most disadvantaged groups and communities, as well as environmental defenders

Ongoing climate change, caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is happening on a timescale of decades to centuries and is driving environmental changes worldwide. In contrast, the air pollution that occurs near the Earth’s surface happens on a timescale of days to weeks, and across spatial scales that range from local (for example, urban centres) to regional such as the northern India.

All life depends on a healthy planet

All life depends on a healthy planet, but the natural environment's intertwined systems of atmosphere, seas, watercourses, land, ice cover, and biosphere are under threat from human activity. The natural ecosystem suffers, for example, from prolonged drought and unrestricted land usage, which leads to desertification. Desertification is expected to endanger one-third of the Earth's area and one-fifth of the world's population.

Biodiversity (the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms) helps keep the global environment working. Polluted air depleted or contaminated water, degraded soil and urban growth are all threats to biodiversity. Rising ocean temperatures are responsible for the widespread bleaching of coral reefs that support vast populations of marine life and are also important tourist attractions. Ecosystems such as wetlands, forests and lakes are an important part of the natural regime of a river. They are a buffer between river and terrestrial ecosystems and play an important role in storing or attenuating floodwaters. Stratospheric ozone protects plants, marine life, animals and people from solar ultraviolet radiation, which is harmful for life on Earth.

• Recycle paper, glass, plastic, metal and old electronics
• Choose reusable products. Use an eco-bag for shopping and a reusable water bottle or a cup to reduce your plastic waste
• Bike, walk or take public transport. Save the car trips for when you’ve got a big group
• Buy eco-friendly products. Read the packaging to see if products are produced in an eco-friendly way.
• Compost. Composting food scraps can reduce climate impact while also recycling nutrients.
• Reduce your use of paper. Avoid printing and substitute it with electronic devices or carriers. Don’t shop for pets! Visit your local animal shelter and adopt an animal there
• Consume less meat and become vegetarian for one day a week. The meat production industry has a huge impact on the environment.

Global Environmental Challenges

resources support billions of people's livelihoods. Renewable natural resources, watersheds, productive landscapes, and seascapes, when adequately managed, offer the foundation for long-term inclusive growth, food security, poverty reduction, and human well-being. A clean environment is also necessary to guarantee that people may live healthy and productive lives, and that public and private resources can be spent in promoting development rather than cleaning up after pollution. The world's ecosystems govern the air, water, and soil on which we all rely, and they provide a unique and cost-effective buffer against extreme weather and climate change. Globally, greater natural resource management, environmentally friendly fiscal policies, greener financial markets, and comprehensive waste management programmes are required to ensure sustainable growth. The loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services is a development concern that disproportionately affects the poorest countries. Healthy ecosystems and the services they provide are critical for long-term economic growth in industries such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. More than half of global GDP is created by sectors that rely heavily or somewhat on ecosystem services including pollination, water filtration, and raw materials. Over 3 billion people rely on marine and coastal biodiversity for protein and a living. Animal pollination is required for three-quarters of the world's top 115 food crops.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the links between human health and nature, as about 70 percent of emerging infectious diseases are from zoonotic origin. Pathogens thrive where there are changes in the environment, like deforestation, and natural ecosystems are under stress from human activity and climate change. While nature can act as a buffer between humans and pathogens, it can also help in economic and social development. Investing in nature can contribute to economic recovery by creating jobs, targeting the poorest communities, and building long-term resilience. Healthy ecosystems support climate change mitigation and increase the resilience of the most vulnerable communities around the world. To build back greener and stronger and to ensure sustainable growth, countries must recognize, measure and manage natural capital and ecosystem services. Recent World Bank research makes an economic case for investing in nature and assesses policy options to the global biodiversity crisis

Raah-e-Najaat role in environment support

Many cities in Indian are facing the profound environmental, social, and economic impacts of rapid population growth, development, and natural resource constraints. Having a strong NGO Raah-e-Najaat support the community with a clear mandate to engage civil society, businesses, and the public sector can help countries to tackle these issues more successfully. However, while governments and corporations are starting to address some of these concerns, there are still significant gaps. In India, the government's role is shifting from "do it all, almost everything" agencies to more streamlined and regulatory-focused institutions. As a result, they require partners to assist in policy implementation and to participate in the country's growth.

Environmental NGOs can play a crucial role in helping to plug gaps by conducting research to facilitate policy development, building institutional capacity, and facilitating independent dialogue with civil society to help people live more sustainable lifestyles. While some of the barriers are beginning to be lifted, there are still many areas which require further reform and support in order to assist NGOs, to conduct their work. These areas include: the need for a legal framework to recognize NGOs and enable them to access more diverse funding sources; high-level support/endorsement from local figureheads; and engaging NGOs in policy development and implementation.

There is now also an increasing interest within civil society in environmental issues. This interest is leading to a need for more independent research, communication, and grassroots outreach. NGOs can play a very significant role in leading and promoting such initiatives. Moreover, the ability of NGOs to provide an independent view is crucial to building trust in the issues/causes and help enact behavioural/cultural change in communities.

Raah-e-Najaat aligns with 13 SDG’s goal for climate policies to promote the climate change emergencies. Climate change is a clear and genuine threat to our entire civilization. The consequences are already obvious and will be disastrous unless we act quickly. We can make the necessary adjustments to safeguard the earth via education, innovation, and adherence to our climate obligations. These developments also present enormous opportunity to update our infrastructure, which will create new employment and boost global prosperity.

• Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate related disasters.
• Build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change.
• Integrate climate change measures into policies and planning.
• Implement the sustainable framework convention on climate change.
• Promote mechanisms to raise capacity for planning and management.