Climate protection: We have only one planet

Donate to protect our climate

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. It is already causing severe humanitarian crises. The number of devastating natural disasters is increasing rapidly and threatens millions of people. Help combines climate protection with development cooperation and helps people and the environment at the same time.

Support our climate protection projects – donate now!

Table of contents

"I am very much looking forward to working in this beautiful garden. Such an idea was badly needed. This garden is a real eye-catcher for the whole neighbourhood and is a source of happiness and fresh air!"
Zahra, 52, from Syria about the Urban Gardening Project

What is the situation like?

Climate crisis – it's almost too late!

The climate crisis is a hot topic: every Friday, millions of people take to the streets to show how acute the situation is. Politicians discuss every day how climate change can be stopped. All over the world, people of all ages are worried about our future. But it is no longer enough to just talk about climate change: We need to act now.

In the last 100 years alone, the earth's temperature has risen by 0.8°C on average. By 2100, our planet would be 6.5°C warmer than today, judging by forecasts. The consequences: Drought, water shortages, less food and melting glaciers. Life as we know it will change permanently - if we don't do something about the rise in temperature immediately.

The humanitarian consequences of climate change

The consequences of global warming are not only being felt here in Germany. One record-breaking heat wave follows another, heavy rainfall and storms are increasing at an alarming rate.

Developing countries, however, are the hardest hit by man-made climate change. Droughts are causing more and more hunger crises, and in the rainy seasons catastrophic floods threaten the livelihoods of millions of people. Experts therefore estimate that the number of climate refugees worldwide will reach 140 million by 2050.

For people in developing countries, climate protection alone is often not a priority. The daily struggle to provide for their own families and to lift themselves out of poverty makes the effects of climate change fade into the background.

Climate protection and development cooperation go hand in hand

With financial and technical support in the areas of

renewable energies,
water and resource management,
efficient rural development,
long-term disaster prevention,
recycling systems and waste separation,
and sustainable agriculture,

development cooperation not only educates people about climate protection, but also empowers them to actively work to preserve our environment.

What is Help doing to protect our climate?

Sustainable solutions

At Help, climate protection and development cooperation go hand in hand. In our aid projects around the world, we are increasingly promoting climate-friendly strategies and technologies to help people and the environment in a sustainable way.

These range from solar-powered wells to environmentally friendly agriculture and urban gardening. In Help's long-term aid projects, the interweaving of environmental protection and development cooperation always plays an important role.

Help involves the local population in all processes so that they can adapt to the changing climate conditions. They learn to use their resources efficiently and are informed about the advantages of renewable energies, recycling systems and waste separation.

Photos from our projects

Solar wells in Chad

Spenden Indonesien: Plastikbank Bank Sampah

In Indonesia, we are campaigning against the use of single-use plastic.

Wiederherstellung des Ökosystems auf den Philippinen

In the Philippines, we have reforested corals by releasing so-called "jackstones" into the sea off the coasts. Corals can reestablish themselves there.

Philippinen: Korallenriffe neu besiedeln

Corals are settling.

Urban Gardening in Amman: the plants clean the air...

and promote the food supply in the future.

Sustainable agriculture in Zimbabwe

Biogas plants in Afghanistan provide electricity.

Our projects

Indonesia: Stopping the plastic flood

More and more plastic waste ends up in the world's oceans. The problem: plastic does not decompose, it merely breaks down into tiny pieces. Microplastics pose a great danger to all marine life. The climate also suffers: The production of plastic produces very large amounts of greenhouse gases, which further promote climate change. It is particularly problematic that much of the plastic is used only once and then thrown away.

In Indonesia, we are campaigning against the use of single-use plastic. Together with the local population, we find environmentally and climate-friendly alternatives, carry out waste collection campaigns and develop innovative concepts that help people and the environment at the same time. For example, we run waste banks where collected plastic waste can be exchanged for money, conduct workshops and work closely with the local environmental authority.

Jordan: Urban Gardening

Donate to protect the climate — We have set up an urban gardening farm on the roof of the Help office in Jordan.

Amman, the capital of Jordan, is home to over four million people and refuge for hundreds of thousands of refugees. Providing these people with food and water is a major challenge in the hot and very dry region. With Urban Gardening, we give needy families the chance to grow vegetables and fruit on their own houses.

The project not only improves access to healthy and cheap food, but also makes a valuable contribution to climate protection. The urban gardening facilities enable much more efficient and water-saving cultivation than conventional farms, help to improve air quality and enhance urban biodiversity.

Chad: Solar systems for water supply

Water is the most precious resource our planet has to offer. A large part of humanity still has no access to clean drinking water. In Chad, one of the most water-scarce countries in Africa, we are therefore committed to climate protection and water supply for the people at the same time.

With one of the largest solar-powered water systems in the world, 12,000 refugees and 1,500 locals are supplied with drinking water in an environmentally friendly and affordable way. In 2013, Help was awarded the "German Solar Prize" for this project.

Together for climate protection

Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe is a member of the Klima Allianz Deutschland. It is the social alliance for more climate protection supported by more than 100 environmental and development organisations.

Help is a member of the PREVENT Waste Alliance, which aims to develop a functioning waste and circular economy. The reduction of waste input into the environment of developing countries is particularly important.