Through the establishment of a dedicated emergency management task force, the refinement of contingency plans, the development of a robust disaster information communication framework, and the implementation of regular drills, the community's capacity for disaster preparedness and response has been significantly strengthened.

A comprehensive community emergency management map was developed, delineating critical infrastructure such as roads, residential buildings, and waterways. The map also identifies the locations of vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, pregnant women, and individuals with disabilities, while designating safe evacuation routes to provide a clear and actionable foundation for disaster response.

Special attention was given to addressing the specific needs of women during disasters. Preparedness measures included ensuring an adequate stockpile of sanitary products, while drills incorporated protocols to safeguard the mobility and security of women and girls, with a particular focus on mitigating risks of gender-based violence.

The “Grandmothers’ Climate Stories” series combined group study, film screenings, and lectures with traditional ethnic ecological values, such as reverence for nature. 

Around the theme of “Women and Climate,” women leaders shared the impacts of climate change on women’s health, raised awareness about the link between pesticide overuse and breast cancer risks, promoted the use of protective equipment, and encouraged reduced pesticide use. In addition, women carried out public education on climate-related infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, organizing 3–5 person teams to visit households, guide villagers in clearing standing water to curb mosquito breeding, and teach methods and knowledge for disease prevention.

The project introduced water-saving technologies, such as drip irrigation and micro-sprinklers, and established demonstration households. A women’s cooperative for sustainable agriculture was created, supported by RMB 10,000 seed funding and small individual contributions (RMB 200 per household). Members jointly purchased seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to reduce costs.

The clustering of farms is a modality that was adopted for the establishment of new farming activities. A farming cluster is a group of agricultural units adjoined on one site. This was designed to overcome many obstacles that individual farmers face, such as high transportation costs, fluctuating market prices, and a lack of technical capacities to address issues arising during the operation of relatively new agricultural technologies.

The farming clusters in Al Za'atari and Al Serhan municipalities in Al Mafraq Governorate (Northern Jordan), comprise a set of 58 agricultural units adjoined in two sites with a total approximate area of 60,000 m². Such a setup enables selling the products of all farmers at once to large business off-takers, thus reducing transportation costs and allowing all farm to management components to get the same quality of products.

The agricultural units are greenhouses equipped with internal soilless-culture systems and powered by solar energy, while the products are sold through a project spin-off company, named after the project (Smart DESERT Company). All farmers follow the same working steps, and conditions are controlled to the highest extent possible.

Greenhouses are equipped with internal systems for soilless-culture systems that are fully functional and produce various crops. Such a system enables the collection of return irrigation water in basins, providing an opportunity to circulate this water to irrigate the surrounding trees and an open cultivation plot. 
 

Funds raised were used both to cover reforestation costs and to create hundreds of green wages and jobs. On the one hand, Costa Rica aims to reach 60% of forest cover by 2030, and seedlings require ongoing care to ensure they survive and thrive. On the other hand, the socioeconomic conditions of already vulnerable communities in the northern region of the country worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic.

#Footprints4ourFuture addresses these two challenges in an integrated way. Each tree planted comes with a five-year maintenance plan to ensure its survival. This plan is implemented by local workers who plant and prune trees, improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations and providing a sustainable source of income beyond the period of the pandemic. This approach also contributes to raising local awareness and promoting community ownership of reforestation efforts.

Donors can contribute to the campaign through different packages/amounts: “My Footprint” (one tree for 15 USD), “Family Footprint” (10 trees for USD 150), “Small Business Footprint” (100 trees for USD 1,500), and “Corporate Footprint” (1,000 trees for USD 15,000). 

These packages can be purchased on the campaign’s website, that launch to a national account for FUNBAM. It is also possible to contribute by directly making bank transfers to an account in dollars or Costa Rican colones, or quickly donate using SINPE Móvil, the country’s instant mobile money transfer system. Companies and organizations, as well as Embassies made the transfer through this modality under a signed agreement with FUNBAM (the executing agency). Initially, it was also possible to donate through UNDP’s international platform, which was later removed since outreach activities were nationally focused.

Moreover, through a partnership with the corporate hardware store Ferretería EPA, customers in seven physical stores are invited to donate their spare change and complement to plant a tree, reaching those who may not have been initially aware of the campaign. 

Finally, for the 1,000-tree corporate package, meetings were arranged with potential partner companies to encourage collaboration. Embassies such as Spain, Italy and others also used this modality. 

Following the development of the legislative and regulatory framework for issuing green bonds, it was also necessary to create incentives that enhance their attractiveness for both issuers and investors. With BIOFIN’s advocacy and in close collaboration with the Working Group, two key incentives were established.  

First, investors benefit from a 15% exemption in withholding tax on green bonds listed on a Zambian exchange with a maturity of at least three years. This measure encourages investment in projects with positive environmental outcomes and accelerates resource mobilization. It also motivates potential issuers, who can expect stronger investor demand and, consequently, higher returns on their bonds.  

Second, the SEC introduced a 50% reduction in green bond registration fees in Zambia. By lowering issuance costs, this measure further strengthens the attractiveness of the market for issuers.