UNHCR and IUCN will observe World Environment Day on Tuesday with the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution.”
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will be holding events in Kutupalong refugee settlement to highlight their work in the prevention of elephant-human conflict and promote environmental awareness.
The project is a part of a program by UNHCR and IUCN, who are working closely with the government authorities, aimed at mitigating some of the environmental impacts linked to the establishment of refugee settlements in Cox’s Bazar.
Rohingya volunteer members from the Elephant Response Teams (ERT) set up under a joint agency project will be helping to make camps plastic-free.
Officials representing the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) and the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s Office (RRRC) will join the event.
As a part of the plan, 30 ERTs have been formed, each made up of 12 Rohingya refugee volunteers.
The volunteers are equipped with elephant deterrent tools such as whistles, torches, search lights, loudspeakers, etc.
Awareness campaigns will also be carried out to inform the locals of the risks.
