What do rainforest communities have in common?

More in common than just trees

Rainforest communities, whether in the Peruvian Amazon or along the rainforest coastline of Papua New Guinea, have something in common: they are all on the frontlines of a climate crisis they didn’t create.

Climate change knows no borders

Torrential downpours have caused devastating floods in our Asháninka partnerships, leaving families without homes, crops destroyed, and water sources poisoned. Thousands of miles across the Pacific, Papua New Guinean coastal villages endure the impact of cyclones and high tides that threaten their livelihoods.

Following extreme weather like this, the aftermath can linger for months, sometimes years, as these communities rebuild with minimal resources and outside support.

Families, who have lived in harmony with their environments for countless generations, bear almost no responsibility for the climate catastrophe that is dismantling their lives.

Our organisation partners CARE delivering aid to Asháninka communities in the Amazon after extreme flooding.

The forest feedback loop

A dangerous cycle is unfolding in rainforests. More deforestation is linked to more extreme weather. Year on year wet seasons have become unpredictable with heavier rainfall, while dry seasons are lasting longer and droughts are increasing in intensity.

These weather extremes weaken the forest’s health and resilience. A forest under stress struggles to effectively store carbon, and as overwhelmed trees die, there is an acceleration of carbon release.

The science is clear, if we lose rainforests, we lose their power to regulate our climate. And extreme weather? It’ll only get worse, for us all.

Following Cyclone Alfred, extreme high tides flood homes and contaminate crops and water sources in Papua New Guinea.

Your support gives us flexibility when it matters most

While the challenges are immense, we’re big believers in the power of community-led solutions. That’s why we built our model differently.

Thanks to your donations, we can respond quickly when disasters hit.

No rigid funding structures. No bureaucratic delays. Just direct, unconditional financial support exactly when and where it’s needed.

Last week we sent urgent emergency cash directly to each community affected by these floods. With their instruction, we were able to support them in purchasing essentials including food, water, clothing and medicine,

Your support means we can continue to provide urgent relief in times of crisis.

It also means we can continue to work with communities to strengthen their resilience against the impacts of the climate crisis in the first place. Meaning they can continue to protect their rainforests.

Will you consider a monthly gift to Cool Earth?

A gift of £10 a month can provide the support needed to help a rainforest family combat deforestation in their forest.