The Green Refugee Camp in Minawao, Cameroon

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The effects of climate change and socio-political factors are leading to increasingly large populations being displaced, with migrants often fleeing to poor countries with limited resources. The rapidly growing refugee community in Cameroon’s Minawao refugee camp has led to significant environmental and social challenges, including water shortages, damage to valuable grazing land, desertification and deforestation. To address this, the camp has constructed temporary shelters made from locally sourced biodegradeable materials, that do not result in plastic waste and have a reduced carbon footprint associated with transportation, they have invested in eco-friendly cooking stoves and have planted tree nurseries with an associated education and training programme to ensure they survive. The Green Refugee Camp aims to set an example of sustainable construction and management of a refugee camp. Click here for more information. 

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

• “Many Commonwealth cities and human settlements are grappling with poverty, informality, food security and migration.” 
• “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.’
• “Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and where the impacts of climate change are experienced acutely.”
• “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

UN-Habitat: https://unhabitat.org/