The partner survey conducted by the Joint Initiative for Sustainable Humanitarian Assistance Packaging Waste Management (JI) in April 2022 revealed that in many humanitarian contexts, management of waste from humanitarian assistance is left to local authorities and communities to handle and—in the absence of waste-management systems—ends up being buried or… Read More
On 20 May 2021, the MV X-Press Pearl container ship caught fire and started sinking on early June, releasing fuel oil, dangerous chemicals, and plastic pellets – among other materials – in the Laccadive sea as it was anchored around 9 nautical miles (17 kilometers) northwest of the Port of… Read More
On 14 August 2021, a major 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, and caused particularly severe damage to the departments of Nippes, Grand’Anse and Sud, in the country’s South. A United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team deployed and supported the government-led response by providing environmental expertise. Information on the… Read More
On 7 March 2021, a series of explosions occurred in the city of Bata, Equatorial Guinea, leaving the country in a catastrophic situation. After consultation with the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) in the country, a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team was deployed to support the government-led… Read More
This report analyses the nexus between the protection of civilians and the environment in humanitarian operations. The study focused on examining the type of harms that come out of this nexus, as well as reviewing best guidance and practices existing in the field. Finally, it underlines how the protection sector… Read More
A growing number of people need humanitarian assistance (UNOCHA, 2020), which is intended to save lives, alleviate suffering and restore human dignity during and after manmade crises and disasters caused by natural hazards (Good Humanitarian Donorship, n.d.). At the same time, solid waste management (SWM) is a rising development challenge… Read More
This summary summarizes the session from the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week on Asbestos and Humanitarian response, from February 2020. Core questions posed in the session included (1) what the immediate actions, which can be taken to reduce the asbestos risks in post-disaster operations, and (2) What the long-term… Read More
Dorian made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane in The Bahamas on 1 September 2019, leaving a trail of devastation behind. A United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, embedding environmental expertise, was dispatched to support the government-led response. The full environmental mission report is accessible here. This… Read More
Convened and funded by USAID, the Joint Initiative brings together 26 humanitarian actors from the UN system, NGOs, and bilateral and multilateral donors to reduce the negative environmental impacts of humanitarian action, with a focus on packaging waste. The need for humanitarian assistance continues to rise, just as the world… Read More
This factsheet describes the supporting role the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit (JEU) undertakes during disaster waste management activities. Read More
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, works to promote shared responsibilities in relation to the transboundary movements of dangerous waste. Parties to the Convention can request emergency assistance from the Secretariat of the Convention in order to estimate the magnitude of… Read More
The Terms of Reference for Disaster Waste Management Experts describe the key responsibilities and required background and skills of disaster waste management experts deployed by the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit during emergency response missions. Read More
