In the MENA region:
PRI integrates climate resilience into its justice reform efforts, even in areas affected by conflict and institutional fragility, such as Sudan. In Kassala State, we work to protect the rights and dignity of women in detention while enhancing the environmental sustainability of prison infrastructure and essential services. These initiatives support PRI’s broader efforts to ensure that people in contact with the law are not left behind in climate adaptation and justice sector reforms.
Key activities in Sudan include:
- Solar energy installed at Kassala Women’s Prison to power the clinic and safely store medicine—supporting health rights in off-grid conditions.
- Water desalination systems are implemented to ensure access to clean drinking water amid rising water scarcity.
- Prison farming – Sustainable agriculture supported through seed distribution and the use of natural fertilisers—promoting food security and rehabilitation.
- Environmentally responsive reconstruction using local materials like sand and wood to reduce energy demand in rehabilitated facilities.
- Alternative cooking fuels, such as crop residues and animal dung, are used in place of gas and electricity—reducing emissions and costs.
On a global level:
- We raise awareness and highlight the need for crisis preparedness and response plans for places of detention in view of the growing number of natural disasters globally.
- Based on primary research, we have published several resources to guide action relating to climate change and justice:
- Natural hazards and prisons: Protecting human rights in disaster prevention, response and recovery, which presents practical measures with a human rights-based approach for practitioners and frontline staff working in prison systems
- Green prisons: A guide to creating environmentally sustainable prisons, co-published by PRI and United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), which explores how prisons can reduce their environmental impact while fostering rehabilitation.
- We advise governments on how to implement green initiatives into their justice systems. For example in 2024-25 in Bulgaria we supported their pilot ‘green prisons’ project, which aims Bulgaria is developing “green” prisons as part of a broader prison reform initiative focused on sustainability and rehabilitation. These prisons aim to reduce environmental impact, improve resource efficiency, and integrate nature into infrastructure and processes.
- We document and disseminate challenges and promising practices related to climate change and justice in our Global Prison Trends series.