Iran is highly vulnerable to climate change. In recent years, the country has suffered from both severe flooding and droughts linked to our warming world.
In July 2022 alone, flash flooding killed 90 people, destroyed communities, homes, and livelihoods across the country, and left thousands displaced.
Local Iranian Red Crescent volunteers are experienced in responding to disasters like these—deploying quickly to provide lifesaving first aid and rescue services, food, water, shelter, health services, and long-term support to recover.
But as well as just responding to climate-related disasters, the Iranian Red Crescent Society is increasingly working to prepare for them, and even prevent or reduce their impact on communities.
And to do that, they’re working with nature. Specifically, our planet’s superheroes: trees.
Trees play a critical role in fighting climate change. Most people know that by absorbing carbon, producing oxygen, providing shade and cooling, and maintaining soil health, trees contribute to the overall health of our planet.
But did you also know that trees can also help protect us from weather-related disasters?
Trees can:
- Soak up excess water during floods and prevent, or slow down, run-off
- Hold rainwater in the ground to reduce damage caused by droughts
- Protect coastal communities from tidal surges
- Help stop or slow down avalanches and mud flows
- Hold down soil to stabilize the ground during earthquakes and landslides
Understanding this power of trees to protect communities, the Iranian Red Crescent Society launched a nation-wide tree-planting campaign earlier this year to help mitigate the impacts of climate change across the country.
Together, their youth volunteers planted a staggering 100,000 trees in the space of just 20 minutes.
Iranian Red Crescent Society volunteers work together to plant tree saplings in rural Iran in spring 2023.
Photo: Iranian Red Crescent Society
Equipped with shovels, watering cans, bags of soil, and tree saplings, more than 10,000 youth volunteers got to work digging holes and planting trees at an incredible pace— showing unity and positive action in the face of the climate crisis.
“Every individual can make a difference, whether it's through volunteering with local organizations, supporting policies that promote sustainability, or making individual lifestyle changes. I encourage volunteers and non-volunteers around the world to come together and act on climate change.” - Movahed Najjar Nahavandi, IRCS youth volunteer from Mazandaran province.
Climate change is a complex problem that requires urgent action at the local, national, and global level. But by working together, and by working with nature, we can make a difference and help protect our communities.
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The Iranian Red Crescent Society is not alone in taking climate action. Visit our dedicated nature-based solutions page or check out our Working with Nature to Protect People report to learn how the IFRC network is working with nature to reduce climate change and weather-related disasters.
You can also visit our climate-smart disaster risk reduction page for more information on how our network is preventing or minimizing the impact of climate change and other hazards on communities.
Two Iranian Red Crescent Society youth volunteers work together to plant a tree in an arid part of the country in a bid to reforest an area of land and make it more resilient to climate-related disasters.
Photo: Iranian Red Crescent Society