Thai villages, anchored in an insurgent past, confront a modern peril

Honor the Earth is an anti-data center coalition monitoring the construction of hyperscale data centers in or near indigenous land. Through their efforts, town halls, doorknocking, attending tribal council meetings and more, they’ve formed a community with people in agriculture and beyond, working to push back against data center construction and enact protections for communities. As a result of their efforts, the Tulsa City Council signed a 9-month moratorium on data centers, and the Seminole Nation also unanimously passed its own moratorium.

The Cherokee Nation is addressing long-standing water insecurity and infrastructure challenges through proactive investments triggered by the passage of the Wilma P. Mankiller & Charlie Soap Water Act. By shifting from emergency fixes to long-term planning, the tribe has funded targeted infrastructure upgrades, leveraged state and federal partnerships, and used precise data assessments to pinpoint urgent community needs.

Collaboration between the Hmong community, researchers, and park authorities in northern Thailand has allowed them to work together to restore the forest in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. Between 1997 and 2013, they used assisted regeneration to restoring 33 hectares of forest, which also increased the area’s natural flora and fauna. Because of their efforts, their approach is being implemented in tropical forests around the world, including Cambodia, Madagascar, and Tanzania.

After Georgian residents raised concerns about a pollutant that was being emitted by a nearby biomass plant, they banded together to pass legislation that effectively put an end to the practice. These concerned residents founded the Madison County Clean Power Coalition to raise awareness of the effects of creosote burning, which, when breathed in, has shown to increase the risk of lung and heart disease. Their lobbying efforts resulted in the governor signing into law a ban on burning creosote-treated wood.

Community-led mapping and risk assessments by Pamoja Trust enabled informal settlement residents in Nairobi to document accurate data showing more accurate counts of people at flood risk (nearly 12 times more than official estimates identified). This gave communities evidence to advocate for inclusion in government recovery programs and influence official regeneration planning.

The Watershed Project works with residents to protect and restore landscapes that drain into waterways—creeks, rivers and ultimately—around the San Francisco Bay. Strong community outreach aims to connect people, the environment, and government agencies, municipalities, legal firms, and private and public investors.

Amidst water scarcity and increased waterborne diseases, community members are using sand dams, an innovative water management system, to conserve rainwater for daily use. Sand dams offer extended water storage capabilities, lasting up to a year, ensuring community members have consistent access to clean water for farming, cooking and general hygiene. There are currently six sand dams in the community serving 600 households.

In Nigeria, the Arewa Women Initiative For Climate Change Advocacy And Environmental Sustainability works to educate people on climate change and empower them to make informed, environment-friendly decisions. Through events like tree planting campaigns, the initiative spreads awareness on a variety of issues while coordinating action.

When plans for a new gas station were announced, community members from the Carole Highlands neighborhood organized 11 citizens living near the proposed spot for the project to make their case for why the company should withdraw their plans – and in the end, they did.

Baghdad resident Murtadha Al-Tameemi started organizing weekly clean ups at the banks of the Tigris river earlier this year, but it soon became a grassroots movement called Clean Iraq and encouraged residents to organize similar events across the country. In a place long-affected by war, it serves not just as an important effort and opportunity to save the river but to rebuild peace, cooperation, and a sense of normalcy.