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Humanitarian Partnerships
Post-Disaster Reconstruction Projects
Sichuan Province Earthquake (2008)
On May 12, 2008, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck China’s southwestern Sichuan Province, causing massive damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and the deaths of almost 70,000 people. The earthquake in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province severely impacted the Wolong Nature Reserve, which WWF helped establish with the Chinese government in 1980 to preserve over 4,000 different species, including the endangered giant panda. In addition to our immediate concern for the damage to the reserve and surrounding areas, WWF halted to a standstill for three days while authorities tried to locate a WWF member trip visiting the reserve. Luckily the members have safely returned home, but the reconstruction of millions of homes for those affected by the earthquake is just beginning.
WWF is very concerned that efforts be made to ensure that post-earthquake reconstruction is compatible with nature conservation. WWF’s Humanitarian Partnerships Program has already begun working in cooperation with WWF-China to promote green reconstruction of the earthquake-affected area. WWF China has translated the WWF Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines into Chinese for the Chinese government and local partners. Our team, which has expertise in minimizing environmental impacts from shelter, water and sanitation and livelihood reconstruction, is in the process of assessing the environmental impact of the earthquake and future reconstruction, the results of which will guide the reconstruction plans for the Minshan, Qionglai and Qinling panda landscapes. Throughout the reconstruction process, the Humanitarian Partnerships team will support WWF China with tools and techniques to incorporate environmental issues in the assessments and will work with WWF China to train local partners in rapid assessments and green reconstruction planning.
Cyclone Jokwe (2008)
Cyclone Jokwe, a Category 3 cyclone with peak winds of 120mph, formed over the South-West Indian Ocean on March 2 and passed over northern Madagascar before slamming hard into the coast of Mozambique in WWF’s Coastal East Africa priority place. The cyclone affected 200,000 people, destroyed 9,000 homes, damaged 3,000 others and caused widespread damage to crops, including the destruction of over 150,000 cashew trees, one of Mozambique’s most significant agricultural resources.
Many of the areas affected by Cyclone Jokwe are part of a proposed three-year natural resource management and livelihoods joint program of the humanitarian aid agency CARE and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). At the request of CARE, WWF’s Humanitarian Partnerships team traveled to Mozambique to conduct a rapid environmental assessment (REA) to examine ways to ensure the sustainability of CARE’s reconstruction activities and materials. In addition to performing the assessment, WWF conducted training and capacity-building activities with CARE and WWF staff on performing post-disaster rapid environmental assessments for future response activities.
Indian Ocean tsunami (2004)
The Indian Ocean tsunami which ravaged the countries of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and India in 2004 required one of the largest reconstruction projects in history. WWF’s Humanitarian Partnerships team partnered up with the American Red Cross in order to ensure sustainable recovery in the affected regions. Please click here (please insert link to “American Red Cross Tsunami Recovery Partnership” page) for more information on the WWF-American Red Cross partnership.
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