POLLUTED PLANET | WWF

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OUR POLLUTED PLANET

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Pollution is destroying our planet.
It is everywhere; in our rivers, oceans, land and air.

THE PLASTIC PROBLEM

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Plastic is suffocating our earth. It has become one of the greatest environmental issues of our time.

Plastic of all kinds finds its way into rivers and oceans. There it contaminates drinking water and kills river and sea life. When burned, plastic releases toxic chemicals that have serious health implications such as respiratory diseases.

THE ELECTRICITY DEFICIT

© Min Zayar Oo WWF-Myanmar

Myanmar desperately needs more electricity.
The question is how will we get it?


As well as hydropower, fossil fuels like coal, gas and oil are being used to meet the energy deficit. These fossil fuels are bad news for people and nature. They are dangerous to harvest, cause deforestation, and pollute our air and water.

UNSUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY

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A boom in industry has lead to a spike in air and water pollution.

Small-scale industries are having big impacts on nature - they are flushing toxic waste-water into our great rivers, killing fish and contaminating drinking water. Meanwhile industrial zones are pumping out toxic chemicals, risking the health and even lives of everyone living nearby.

THE GOOD NEWS

© WWF Myanmar

Everyone has a role to play in solving this problem. Together, we can protect our planet from pollution.

PEOPLE TAKING ACTION AGAINST PLASTIC

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Myanmar has just become one of the latest countries to join the global fight against plastic.

An inspiring grassroots movement across the country has brought people together to take action against plastic pollution. The idea is simple: use less, reuse more, and don’t litter. Why? For the health of our people, our wildlife and the beauty of our home. The exciting part is that every one of us can do our bit toward a plastic free Myanmar.

Solar-powered villages

© Hkun Lat WWF-Myanmar

A few small villages across rural Myanmar are proving that Myanmar's future can be sustainably electrified.

Myanmar is fortunate to have abundant renewable energy resources, enough to provide clean, green energy to the entire country. We have the choice to harness the power of the sun to electrify every village in Myanmar, stop pollution and keep our air clean for generations to come. In 2017 WWF started on this vision by installing home solar power units into 235 houses in rural Tanintharyi.

Industry incentives for sustainability

© Hkun Lat WWF-Myanmar

Sustainable practices in Myanmar’s growing industries will aid and protect the country’s development journey.

Sustainable production is better for both people and the industries themselves. By improving production practices we can protect the future of Myanmar’s industries and with low cost measures achieve energy efficiency of 20-30%.

Our Climate and Energy Programme team is working toward ending pollution in Myanmar.

FROM THE FIELD

Exposure

THE NEW NORMAL FOR CONSERVATIONISTS DURING COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so many lives around the world. The term “new normal” has been used to describe the ways people have had to adapt to the situation at hand. Although these changes can be difficult, WWF-Myanmar will always work to ensure that conservation work is front and center. There is hope that we wonʻt go back to “business as usual”, by taking the same actions that have gotten us into this ...

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Exposure

SPEAKING UP FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

UNDERSTANDING TANINTHARYI'S ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES Kawthaung is located 800 miles from Yangon at Myanmar’s southern tip – right on the border with Thailand. It is a lively town: the streets are filled with people and the constant hum of motorbikes. Off the coastline lie beautiful islands, which attract local and international tourists. Apart from tourism, fishing and palm oil are the backbones of the economy.

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Exposure

ACCESS TO ENERGY: FROM DREAM TO REALITY

Off-grid hydro and solar are lighting up rural communities.At a waterfall in the middle of a dense forest in Kayin State, a group of people are at work. They are wielding ropes, bamboo poles and other equipment. A young man wades into the water. He reaches the deepest point and measures its depth with a bamboo pole. Then he grabs a rope and measures the width of the waterfall. Others are throwing a plastic ...

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Update

CLEAN WATER IS OUR DEFENCE AGAINST COVID-19 AND OTHER SERIOUS, WATER-BORNE ENDEMIC DISEASES

Handwashing with clean water is a critical line of defense against COVID-19 infection, underlining how important it is to ensure water for all. However water does not come from a tap: we must protect and restore healthy rivers.

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