Protecting people by protecting nature
Floods, extreme droughts, and severe storms affect millions of people worldwide every year. Homes are damaged, crops fail, and livelihoods are disrupted. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of many weather-related hazards, putting more communities at risk. Each year, major resources are spent responding to disasters and repairing damage after the crisis has already happened.
The good news is much of this damage and suffering can be prevented. By acting in time and making smart choices, we can significantly reduce the impact of disasters. Nature plays a crucial role in this.
Healthy ecosystems, such as mangroves, forests, wetlands and rivers, act as natural protection. They reduce storm impacts, lower the risk of flooding, and help ensure water availability during dry periods. At the same time, they provide food, clean water, and a healthy living environment.
The Princess Margriet Fund of the Netherlands Red Cross focuses exactly on this. The Fund supports projects worldwide that invest in nature to better protect people. By taking action together with local communities before disasters occur, we can save lives and prevent damage and suffering.
250 million
Working together with WWF
The Princess Margriet Fund helps to strengthen and grow the global partnership between the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and WWF, which started in 2021. In this partnership, we bring together two strengths: the humanitarian expertise and strong local presence of the Red Cross, and WWF’s knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity.
By working together, we develop nature-based solutions: practical ways of making use of nature to protect people. We do this by restoring mangroves, wetlands, and forests, which act as natural buffers against extreme weather while also improving food security, water availability, and biodiversity.
The IFRC and WWF are already working in several countries together, including Kenya, the Philippines, and Mozambique, where we partner with local communities on nature-based solutions such as coastal protection, forest and landscape restoration, sustainable farming, and water management.
The ambition of the Global Partnership between IFRC and WWF is clear. By 2031, we aim to strengthen the climate and disaster resilience of at least 20 million people across diverse ecosystems across at least 25 countries. At the same time, we are working to mobilize around USD 250 million to expand and scale up this approach. In this way, we are building a future where both people and nature are better protected.
More information can be found here.
The Green Pearl Programme, Haiti
Haiti is one of the countries most affected by climate-related disasters. Hurricanes, floods, and droughts occur frequently, leaving people with little time to recover before the next crisis strikes. At the same time, the natural systems that could offer protection are under severe pressure. Deforestation and overgrazing reduce vegetation cover and the soil’s ability to absorb rainwater, increasing the risk of flooding, erosion, and landslides. In addition, poverty and economic instability make it harder for communities to repair, recover, and rebuild.
The Princess Margriet Fund initiated the Green Pearl Programme to help break this cycle. In the Grand’Anse region, we worked together with the Haitian and Netherlands Red Cross, supported by the IFRC, to restore coastal ecosystems and strengthen local communities. Our approach combined coastal restoration with activities on land. Mangroves were protected and restored, while hillside areas were rehabilitated through reforestation, soil stabilisation using gabions and grass terraces, and more sustainable land‑use practices. Communities were also trained in climate-smart agriculture to improve both resilience and livelihoods.
The results so far show the impact of this integrated approach. In total, 5,500 people have been reached directly, 2,000 hectares of mangrove forest have been protected and restored, and tens of thousands of seedlings have been distributed. In addition, nearly 100 households have been trained in sustainable farming practices.
More information can be found here
Alliance for the Amazon
Through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Princess Margriet Fund supports the Alliance for the Amazon. This programme focuses on protecting both the Amazon rainforest and the communities that depend on it.
The Amazon is home to more than 40 million people, including over 2 million Indigenous people across hundreds of ethnic groups. It plays a vital role in regulating the global climate system. However, the region is under increasing pressure from deforestation, drought, and more frequent and severe climate-related events. As a result, communities are facing growing risks from floods, extreme heat, and the loss of livelihoods.
The Alliance of the Amazon program (2025–2035) addresses these challenges by enhancing the resilience of Amazonian communities to compound disaster risks through nature-based solutions, supporting sustainable livelihoods and food security while also delivering clear co-benefits for disaster risk reduction, health, and overall well-being. These solutions build on traditional and Indigenous knowledge to protect and restore ecosystems that are vital to Amazonian communities and their cultural heritage.
The program is active across all 9 Amazonian countries: Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Bolivia, and Colombia. Minimum funding needs are CHF 10 million. The Princess Margriet Fund supports the program through fundraising, business development, and communications.
More information can be found here.
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