LIFT’s donor the European Union Delegation to Myanmar is hosting a public photo exhibition at Junction City in Yangon from 3-6 June to mark World Environment Day 2019. The exhibition aims to raise awareness about the causes and consequences of air pollution in Myanmar. The co-organisers of the event are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Every year, seven million people worldwide die prematurely from air pollution; four million of whom are in Southeast Asia and 22,000 in Myanmar. With air pollution peaking every year from January to April, the World Environment Index has ranked Myanmar among the 15 most polluted countries in the world. Air pollution can be caused by a variety of factors such as traffic, diesel generators, factories, waste burning and agricultural practices; but also indoor cooking with charcoal and firewood as well as kerosene lighting used by approximately 80 per cent of people in Myanmar.
There are nevertheless solutions, and as stated by EU Ambassador Kristian Schmidt: “We can all beat air pollution […] with clean air laws and standards; with the adoption of green technologies; and more importantly, with the contribution of each and every individual towards an air pollution-free world”. In fact, there are many ways to reduce damaging emissions, whether by taking the bus instead of the car, planting trees or even updating cooking facilities.
#BeatAirPollution calls for collective action from governments, communities, industry and individuals to make a change. In this mindset, LIFT’s partners GRET and CORAD are currently working to improve agricultural practices for upland farmers in Myanmar by promoting the sustainable technique agricultural practice ‘Slash and Mulch’. This technique not only allows for permanent farming and prevents soil erosion; it also improves soil fertility, supports natural resources conservation and preserves farm potential for future generations.
