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UNHCR at EXPO-2017 Astana

ASTANA, Kazakhstan. June 10, 2017 (UNHCR) - The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees presents its innovative approach on sustainable energy in the context of humanitarian crises at the “EXPO-2017 Astana International” started on 10 June. For the next three months, more than 100 participants, including governments, international organizations and civil society actors, display cutting-edge solutions to boost sustainable environment management and renewable energy.

At a booth shared with the UN sister agency UNICEF, UNHCR showcases its efforts to promote the right of every person - including refugees, internally displaced people, returnees and stateless people - to access clean and affordable energy in partnership with a variety of partners.  Environmental factors are consistently incorporated in UNHCR’s interventions to minimize protection risks and improve quality of life at household and community levels. For example, UNHCR distributes eco-friendly fuel, cooking stoves of low fuel consumption and solar lightening.  It also builds micro hydropower plants where possible and seeks sustainable agriculture that benefit both refugee and host communities. Similarly, UNHCR encourages increased resilience of the refugees and reduces environmental impacts, such as deforestation, land degradation and emissions, though reforestation, effective conservation, and rehabilitation, particularly in the areas where a large number of the displaced people are hosted.

Come and visit us at the International Organizations Pavilion at EXPO. Learn more about UNHCR activities at www.unhcr.org, www.unhcr.kz, https://www.facebook.com/unhcr.ca/, https://twitter.com/unhcr