The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) , based at Columbia University in New York, is developing tailored forecasting and monitoring products to help the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies improve its capabilities to both respond to and prepare for disasters. The need to incorporate climate information into disaster-risk reduction and decision making is urgent, evidenced by the increasing frequency, intensity and humanitarian consequences of disasters around the world.

The IRI provides assistance to the interpretation of observed and projected weather conditions relevant to the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Contact the IFRC/ IRI Helpdesk for climate related questions at ifrc@iri.columbia.edu or visit the IFRC maproom .

Humanitarian actors are shifting from a response paradigm toward policies and strategies that include preparedness and prevention. In parallel, climate actors (e.g. meteorological services and climate scientists) are reorganizing around the concept of climate services, which aims to inform development, adaptation and disaster risk management through improved use of climate information. Humanitarian and climate actors share a common objective of protecting lives and livelihoods, which can best be realized by collaboration. These partnerships are essential to ensuring that climate information needs are identified, met and communicated effectively to result in better informed action. These cases and lessons are captured in this policy brief (pdf, 1 MB), a product of collaboration between the IRI, IFRC, WFP, OCHA, CCAFS and NOAA.

Read the IFRC's press release on this partnership or read more technical background information.