Preparedness for climate change programme: Phase 2

For step to step guidance to the 'Preparedness for climate change programme, please visit our 2010 web-based guide.

‘Preparedness for climate change’ Phase 2'
Understanding and addressing the risks of climate change

The Red Cross/Red Crescent’s answer to a changing climate
 

Climate change is one of the main global issues of the 21st century, and will severely affect the Red Cross/Red Crescent. Scientists project an unprecedented warming of the earth leading, amongst other things, to an increase of extreme weather events like floods and droughts, more intense hurricanes, the spread of diseases like malaria and dengue, and sea level rise. Tens of millions of people, in particular in developing countries, will be affected every year. According to the World Meteorological Organization the year 2009 was the fifth warmest since records began in 1850. For large parts of Southern Asia and Africa it is likely to be the warmest year on record. The decade of the 2000’s (2000-2009) was the hottest decade on record. 

In 2002, the Netherlands Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) established the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre. The RC/RC Climate Centre supports the Federation, National RC/RC Societies and their partners in understanding and addressing the risks of climate change. It facilitates the cooperation between RC/RC and climate scientists and policy makers, in order to improve programmes, research and policies that will strengthen the resilience of vulnerable people. The RC/RC Climate Centre is based in the Netherlands, but serves the whole RC/RC movement, especially in developing countries.

Time to prepare

In close collaboration with the Climate Centre, the Federation will be working with national RC/RC societies in developing countries to improve their understanding of the negative impacts of climate change for their country and programmes. A better understanding of climate change and how extreme weather events could affect vulnerable people will eventually lead to stronger risk reduction, more effective disaster response, and better health and care programs.

With financial support from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the programme will be implemented in 2010 and contains four very flexible components. The Federation and National Societies will create cooperation agreements that outline how the programme will be implemented in each country. The programme is intended to be flexible, fitting the needs and special circumstances of each National Society, and to be carried out in close coordination with regular plans and programmes.

This is not the first time that we offer a programme like this. Fortunately we can – in the coming year – draw upon the experiences of the first round of Preparedness for Climate Change (PfCC) which took place between 2006 and 2009. During this time the IFRC region/ zone offices and the Climate Centre supported 39 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to assess and address the implications of rising climate risks. 

To read more about the external evaluation of the programme: click here (pdf, 2 MB)