30 January 2025

Press Release

For immediate release

British Red Cross and WWF-UK announce groundbreaking partnership to combat climate threats with nature-based solutions

Partnership sees two of the UK’s biggest charities from the environmental and humanitarian sectors unite to combine efforts for the first time
Pioneering project - funded thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery – aims to protect people and the planet with the power of nature
Tree planting and mangrove restoration strengthen resilience against floods, droughts, and water shortages

WWF-UK and the British Red Cross have announced a groundbreaking partnership which will see two leading UK charities working with communities in Kenya to combat the effects of climate change using the power of nature.

The collaboration will see the organisations combine efforts on projects supporting communities in coastal Lamu County at risk from droughts, floods and water shortages. By working alongside local people to restore natural ecosystems, the partnership aims to build resilience and reduce the impact of future climate and weather-related emergencies.

These nature-based solutions can protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of climate change, the organisations say, saving lives, improving livelihoods and restoring nature.

For example, by working to restore the Southern Swamp mangrove forest, the partnership aims not only to protect a critical wildlife habitat, but also to preserve a powerful means of soaking up planet-warming CO2, and to create a natural defence against damaging floods, storms and cyclones.

And by supporting community groups to plant trees in the area around Lake Kenyatta in the east of Lamu County, they plan to prevent soil erosion and nutrient leaching, contributing to the protection of a vital source of fresh water.

The delivery of the projects will be led at a local level by WWF-Kenya and the Kenya Red Cross, supported by WWF-UK and the British Red Cross. The partnership will benefit from £1m in funds raised thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and awarded by Postcode Planet Trust.

Kenya faces severe threats as a result of climate change – a situation which experts say is set to worsen in coming years. Around 6.5m people in the country are currently affected by drought each year, a number forecast to rise in the future to over 18.7m Kenyans.

Meanwhile, floods affect an average of 75,000 people each year, with rising sea levels expected to threaten thousands more by the end of the decade.

And in a country where 60% of the population works in agriculture, climate change is making it increasingly difficult to keep livestock and grow staple crops like cassava, wheat and sweet potatoes, posing threats to both livelihoods and food supplies.

The partnership in Kenya is part of a larger global effort between Postcode Lottery Group, Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies and WWF to respond to the scale and urgency of climate and nature challenges around the world. Other nature-based solutions projects are already underway in countries including Ethiopia, Mozambique, the Philippines and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Béatrice Butsana-Sita, Chief Executive Officer of the British Red Cross said:

“We know that climate change is having devastating effects on communities around the world. It’s making extreme weather events more common, more dangerous and longer-lasting, and posing ever-increasing threats to people’s lives, homes and livelihoods.

“But we also know that working with nature can be one of the most effective ways to help communities build resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. By combining the Red Cross’ longstanding experience supporting people to prepare for and respond to climate-related emergencies with WWF-UK’s expertise in protecting our environment, we will be able to make a real difference to people facing some of the greatest risks as a result of climate change.”

Tanya Steele, Chief Executive at WWF-UK, said:

"Nature is our greatest ally in the fight against the climate crisis. But as the world warms, our precious ecosystems risk reaching tipping points which will change them – and their ability to absorb climate-changing emissions – fundamentally, with disastrous impacts for nature and people across the world. It is not too late to change course, but we cannot do this alone. 

“Our partnership with the British Red Cross exemplifies how we can unite to restore and protect our natural world, ensuring it can continue to thrive and safeguard humanity's future. Now is the time for bold, collective action to harness the power of nature to save lives, improve livelihoods and restore nature."

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said:

"Funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery is making a tangible difference in tackling some of the most pressing global challenges of our time. This partnership between WWF-UK and the British Red Cross demonstrates the power of collaboration to address the crises of climate change and nature loss. By supporting innovative, nature-based solutions in Kenya, our players are helping to create a more resilient future for communities and the environment they depend on."

[ENDS]

Notes to editors

Statistics on Kenyans affected by drought and flooding and effects of climate change on Kenyan agriculture are taken from the Red Cross Climate Centre Country Profile: Kenya. Individual figures are sourced in that document.

About the British Red Cross:

For over 150 years, the British Red Cross has helped people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. With millions of volunteers across 190 countries, the British Red Cross is part of an international humanitarian Movement that’s there for people before, during and after a crisis. Together, we are the world’s emergency responders. www.redcross.org.uk