The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Peace Corps have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen their collaboration and work together on various environmental initiatives. The partnership aims to enhance strategic planning, training, management assistance, and project implementation.
Under this agreement, the Peace Corps will leverage evidence-based practices, traditional ecological knowledge, and the EPA’s expertise to inform its programming for volunteers. The focus will be on addressing global environmental challenges at the local level, with areas of collaboration including solid waste and wastewater management, improved cookstoves, environmental capacity building, coastal and natural resource planning, and biodiversity preservation.
The MOU also creates career opportunities for returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former staff to join the EPA team in supporting their mission. This partnership reinforces their commitment to combatting the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, and strengthening environmental governance.
The collaboration between the EPA and Peace Corps builds upon their long-standing history of environmental cooperation. They have previously worked together in various international communities, providing technical input, developing training materials, and implementing environmental programs.
The MOU aligns with their shared commitment announced in December 2022 to combat climate change in African countries. The Peace Corps committed $4 million for volunteer projects on the African continent.
Currently, the Peace Corps has volunteers serving in over 50 countries worldwide, working alongside local communities to protect the environment and address pressing environmental issues.
