For decades, economic growth has been measured by how much we produce and consume. The more we buy, the more successful we assume we are. But as an environmental professional working at the intersection of climate, development, and justice, I have come to believe that this equation is fundamentally flawed. Read more here

One of the most meaningful moments of my professional journey came when Hebron City was officially designated a UNESCO Creative City in Crafts and Folk Arts—the first city in Palestine to receive this recognition in this field. This achievement was not the result of individual effort, but a true example of Global Mutirão: collective action driven by shared vision, trust, and collaboration.  Read more here

When I left Pakistan to pursue environmental leadership in the United States, I carried more than academic ambition. I carried a responsibility to contribute meaningfully to environmental protection in ways that strengthen communities, not just institutions. Read more here

The spirit of “Global Mutirão: Collective Efforts in Action,” the call that animated COP30, resonates deeply with our work in rural Andhra Pradesh. As Founding and Managing Trustee of Gramadeep Trust, meaning “light of the village”, I have witnessed how collective action rooted in culture can illuminate pathways to ecological responsibility. Read more here

Conservation programs often prioritize ecological outcomes while overlooking the social inequalities that shape access to natural resources. Drawing from field experiences in Nepal’s Tarai Arc Landscape (TAL) and Sacred Himalaya Landscape (SHL), this of lesson learning reflects on efforts to mainstream Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) within conservation initiatives. Read more here

As we move into 2026, I find myself reflecting deeply on how the values nurtured through the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) continue to shape my daily work as an Environmental Educator and civil society leader in Kenya. My journey has been guided by three interwoven pillars: community-based action, the ethical framework of Laudato Si’, and the systems leadership approach advanced through Beahrs ELP. Read more here

Environmental challenges are often addressed through global frameworks and international dialogue. In Palestine, these challenges are encountered at the operational level, where wastewater treatment systems operate under sustained pressure, energy supply remains constrained, and traditional industries continue to play a central economic role while exerting stress on environmental infrastructure. Read more here

The concept of Global Mutirão: collective efforts toward shared environmental and social goals strongly reflects my ongoing work in Ethiopia, where climate action is deeply connected to livelihoods, institutions, and community resilience. While global forums such as COP processes highlight this vision at an international level, its true strength lies in how individuals and institutions translate it into meaningful local action. Read more here

Walking into the halls of UNFCCC COP 30 in Belém, Brazil I felt the familiar mixture of urgency and possibility that defines these global gatherings. Yet this time, something lingered more deeply: a series of moments and conversations that reframed climate action not as an abstract negotiation, but as a profoundly human undertaking—one that Liberia carries with both responsibility and hope. Read more here

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead. Read more here

I am pleased to inform everyone about the inclusion/publication of our chapter Financing Nature-Based Solutions for Forests in the Philippines: Local Perspective on Debt-for-Nature Swap Experience in the Handbook of Nature-Based Solutions to Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change published by Springer Nature. Read more here

Sudan has always been a land of diversity, generous in its nature, harsh in its challenges. Today, that balance feels fragile. The war has changed daily life for millions. Homes are empty, markets silent, and the fields that once fed whole towns now lie dry. But under the dust and sorrow, people are still holding on. Read more here

The most populous city in Nigeria, Lagos, has been steadfast in addressing climate change through its institutionalised climate governance; however, the government alone cannot address the climate issues that beset the city.  Collaboration, Innovation, and Technology are tools that strengthen... Read more here

In Vienna (Austria), climate efforts are vibrant but fragmented. Citizens, NGOs, startups, policymakers, and researchers are working toward sustainability and climate actions, yet often in silos. This scattered approach means opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and impact can be missed. Read more here

On a bright morning in Addis Ababa, I watched a group of women passionately discuss strategies to tackle local climate challenges. Some shared personal hardships caused by droughts and floods, while others proposed innovative ideas for sustainable farming and renewable energy. Their determination reminded me that real climate solutions begin at the community level, from the ground up. Read more here

Myanmar, a Southeast Asian country highly vulnerable to climate change, has consistently ranked among the most affected nations over the past two decades. Yet, climate action remains largely absent from political discourse and is overlooked by both national and international actors. This neglect persists despite the urgent need to address the growing climate and humanitarian crises, which have been intensified by... Read more here

It is unlikely that the farmers may undergo famine or hunger although they are the primary food producers. But millions of smallholder or subsistence farmers are experiencing acute hunger or famine in Myanmar. I will discuss this by using a case analysis through interviewing farmers in Myanmar. According to the latest Hunger Hotspots Report  Myanmar is facing acute hunger with 16.7 million people - nearly one in three - are acutely food insecure. Read more here

In the rolling hills of Syangja District, Nepal, where monsoon rains unleash in torrents for four months before giving way to bone-dry seasons, water is both a lifeline and a looming crisis. As a hydrometeorologist and water management analyst leading an interdisciplinary team at the Nepal Water Conservation Foundation, I've witnessed... Read more here

The Khata Corridor connects Nepal’s Bardiya National Park (BNP) with India’s Katarnia Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS). It is an essential biological bridge that enables wildlife movement across the transboundary landscape. When the Bottleneck and Corridor Restoration Project (CBRP) began... Read more here

When you search for Tahiti on Google Earth, the globe turns blue. This simple act is a powerful reminder of our reality: we are a country of islands, 99.9% ocean, where the land is not just surrounded by water—it is defined by it. Growing up in such an environment, I learned early that our survival depends on the delicate balance between people and nature. Read more here

Pakistan is primarily an agricultural country, with fertile lands and diverse climates that enable the cultivation of cotton, wheat, rice, maize, sugarcane and a variety of horticultural crops. Cotton is the finest natural fibers with global economic significance and is the third most important crop in Pakistan by area under cultivation. Read more here

When I first stepped into Chandpai Union of Mongla, in the coastal district of Bagerhat in Bangladesh, the salty breeze carried both beauty and hardship. The horizon stretched endlessly, painted by the tidal rhythm of the Passur River and the distant hum of the Sundarbans. Yet, beneath this stunning landscape, an invisible struggle unfolds every day the fight for a glass of safe drinking water. Read more here

In the commune Can Giuoc, nestled in the Mekong Delta, a 3-kilometer-long canal flows through the countryside, adorned with pink lotuses on its surface and golden flowers lining its banks. Houses are scattered along both the canal and the village road. While a motorbike can travel from one end of the village to the other in just 15 minutes, laying a water pipeline through this maze of natural waterways and dispersed homes is anything but simple. Read more here

Cynthia Hillary Randrianandrasana (ELP 2025) | Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer Northern Highlands Landscape, WWF Madagascar, Madagascar

October 8, 2025 

When I wrote my storytelling tryout for the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program at UC Berkeley, I reflected on something we often hear: Madagascar is an island rich in natural resources, one of the richest in the world in terms of biodiversity. And yet, it remains one of the poorest countries on the planet. Some say it's already a lost cause. Even I haven’t always been optimistic...Read more here

Nature-based solutions (NbS) have been used in Sub-Saharan Africa for millennia. Traditional soil conservation techniques in the Ethiopian highlands date back to the Axumite Kingdom of (400 BCE to 800 CE). The communities have exceled in the art of NbS techniques that prevent soil erosion, preserve biodiversity, promote reforestation and water percolation, and sustainably manage the environment (Ciampalini R et al. 2011; Sulas 2009). In Tanzania, farmers have for long practiced ... Read more here