Research

This guide supports National Societies’ engagement in national-level policy discussions on climate change adaptation through the development of NAPs worldwide. It is one of a suite of guidance documents on climate for National Societies published by the IFRC in 2013. 

A year of progress for forecast-based financing. Find our multimedia report here.

Another year of extremes. Find our multimedia report here. 

Addressing climate risk in a year of hunger. Find our multimedia report here. 

Addressing the humanitarian consequences of climate change

Research study on how communities respond to disasters in the island to form recommendations on improving early warning early actions.

The report also delivers recommendations for how to initiate the systemic shift towards funding early action that is demanded by the climate crisis.

 By Evan Easton Calabria, Catalina Jaime and Benjamin Shenouda 

This advocacy brief aims to provide National Societies with an overview of how linking forecast-based financing and social protection can help in early action and preparedness, showcasing examples from Kenya, Malawi and the Philippines.

A case study in building anticipatory action in Zambia. The case study is produced by the Response Preparedness II programme.

This policy brief was developed by the project partners of the Response Preparedness programme in Zambia.

  This brief explores how social protection can support climate-risk management and resilience by addressing shocks before they happen, including by contributing to the resilience framework proposed in the BRACED programme.

Forecast-based financing has been piloted in many countries with support from the German government through the German Red Cross. This publication tells you about the pilots in Togo and Uganda. 

The report was researched and written by Lisette Braman, Technical Advisor with the Red Cross Red Crescent (RC/RC) Climate Centre.

An Evaluation of IFRC West and Central Africa Zone Flood Preparedness and Response, 2008

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Colombia and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Egypt and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Iran and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Iraq and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Jordan and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Kenya and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Lebanon and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Mali and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Mozambique and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Myanmar and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Niger and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Palestine and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of the Philippines and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Papua New Guinea and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Somalia and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Sudan and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Syria and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Ukraine and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This climate fact sheet summarizes the available information on the climate of Yemen and the impact of climate change on humanitarian activities in-country.

This document showcases a wide range of concrete examples over a decade of climate action spurred by the global Partners for Resilience (PfR) alliance.

This guide shares examples and lessons from a range of consortia working in adaptation and resilience, and includes pointers for researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders. 

This report highlights the outcomes of a study to assess the opportunities and barriers to the access and use of climate information for urban small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Uganda and Kenya.

This paper presents the City Learning Lab approach for inclusive decision-making at a city level. This paper was developed by partners in the Future Resilience for African Cities and Land (FRACTAL) project, a Future Climate For Africa consortium funded by DFI[...]

A case study from PfR Philippines. The Philippine RC has deepened its understanding on empowering communities.This has entailed building the capacity of PRC not only to respond and prepare for disasters but also to better understand and address underlying causes of risks. 

This publication sets out several simple strategies that can help to manage the unavoidable impacts of climate change (adaptation) and curb its long-term effects by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation). Though the problem may seem huge and paralyzingly complex, Nat[...]

The introduction to the series of country reports, detailing methodology and steps in the process.

Setting the scene on health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) response in a changing climate

A unique Red Cross Red Crescent project, funded by the US Rockefeller Foundation, has explored ways of integrating climate with health programming in Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania and Vietnam.

Policy-makers must determine how best to invest disaster-related funds, given an understanding of global distribution  of climate effects. This paper focuses on international and development-related funding mechanisms, building on the premise that rising risks of disaster du[...]

This paper examines the role of games in improving communication and spurring learning, and improving decision-making capacity about climate risk management amongst diverse stakeholers. Among other aspects, it discusses challenges associated with communicating the concept of [...]

This paper presents the Minimum Standards for local climate-smart disaster risk reduction and details how they can help action on climate change post-2015. It provides an overview of the standards and their relevance for guiding climate-smart action at the community&nbs[...]

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the IFRC have developed a new ‘Seasonal Rainfall Watch’ to encourage Red Cross disater managers to use seasonal forecasts for preparedness in the Pacific, to help them prepared for and respond to disaster and manage droughts an[...]

An increasing number of scientific disciplines focus on understanding how and why people make decisions and behave the way they do – issues of great significance to humanitarian and environmental organizations working on climate change, risk management and other issues. This[...]

The climate is a key determinant of where people live and climate change can lead to population movements, including migration and displacement. This can occur when extreme weather events make areas temporarily uninhabitable. But well-planned and managed migration can reduce[...]

This guidance note outlines how climate change can impact men and women differently and identifies important ways in which gender roles can strengthen men’s and women’s capacity to adapt to changing climate-related risks.

Two humorous animation films by an alliance of agencies in the Pacific link climate science with decision-making and preparedness. The Pacific Adventures of the Climate Crab gives an overview of climate processes, impacts and possible adaptation measures in the wider Pa[...]

This detailed look at best practice for using games in disaster risk reduction, using the example of Ready! in Namibia, documents what’s been learned by humanitarian organizations, designers, and practitioners interested in the potential of games. 

Minimum Standards for local climate‐smart disaster risk reduction

This guide to how to access dedicated sources of donor funding for climate change work is one of a suite of guidance documents on climate for National Societies published by the IFRC in 2013. 

This guide to mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in operational planning is one of a suite of guidance documents on climate for National Societies published by the IFRC in 2013. 

The IFRC’s 2013–16 Plan of Action reiterates the organization’s commitment “to work together with its members to raise the ambition and contribution of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in addressing climate change.”

Empowering Africa’s decision-makers

How can film assist communication between stakeholders? This working paper argues for a “diversity of problem-solving approaches” as climate change unfolds. Film, a powerful medium, can kindle emotions and evoke changes of mind and behaviour; it offers promising way of eliciting posi[...]

 “Together we’re prepared for climate change” is a participatory project funded by the Australian government, supporting increased community resilience in the face of climate variability and change in Vanuatu in a coordinated and creative way.

Harmonized messaging is a key goal in disaster reduction awareness, and is particularly important when it comes to scaling-up efforts to create a culture of safety. To promote consistent actions to the public, we need key safety and resilience messages.

Early warning is one of many important tools that contribute to the prevention of disasters and preparedness for hazards and threats. It greatly enhances disaster risk reduction. A well-prepared National Society will understand and promote the role of people-centred early-warning[...]

Carbon dioxide does not just stay in the atmosphere and warm the planet. About one third of the carbon dioxide produced through human activities since the Industrial Revolution has been absorbed by the world’s oceans, which is changing sea chemistry.

Games with an underlying serious purpose can speed up learning, dialogue and action on climate risks, engaging people’s minds and emotions, in sharp contrast to unidirectional learning through traditional lectures and PowerPoint presentations. Learn how with this working paper, the f[...]

The five Netherlands Partners for Resilience agencies are working to adapt traditional participatory tools for community risk assessment to a changing climate. These assessments play a key role in understanding vulnerability, and include people’s capacities in a way that that helps i[...]

In 2011 and 2012, the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) was intensifying its drive to find ways to reinforce the climate-resilience of food supplies in the aftermath of the latest drought that left an estimated 4 million Kenyans food-insecure. This document tells you more about[...]

The 2006–11 Preparedness for Climate Change Programme, initiated by the Climate Centre and implemented with the IFRC, assisted 64 National Societies as they took first steps toward addressing the humanitarian consequences of climate change. This study features some of the many a[...]

  This guide is designed to help National Societies to plan and develop public awareness and public education efforts for disaster risk reduction. 

The second phase of the Climate Centre’s programme to help National Societies address the humanitarian impacts of climate change and variability concluded in June 2011, with disaster managers worldwide reporting climate-related risks were increasingly included in planning and program[...]

A guide to supporting the local actions of children and young people, with special emphasis on girls and young women. 

On 27-28 July 2010, representatives from the Red Cross Red Crescent and the Chinese government met, for the first time, as a group. What was unusual about this meeting was the convergence of government departments including those responsible for agriculture, health, climate change, a[...]

The Climate Guide details five years experience from staff and volunteers working in more than 30 Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies to address climate impacts. It begins with the basics: the scientific consensus about climate, humanitarian consequences, and implications fo[...]

To understand how social protection can help tackle some of the impacts of these risks, we conductedan analysis of how they address people’s vulnerabilities when exposed to cold waves in three high-income contexts: New York, London and Paris in France. Findings could help inform poli[...]

To understand how social protection can help tackle some of the impacts of these risks, we conductedan analysis of how they address people’s vulnerabilities when exposed to cold waves in three high-income contexts: New York, London and Paris in France. Findings could help inform poli[...]

This brief gives an overview of the different climate-related hazards that urban spaces are at risk from and explains why social protection can be effective in addressing these risks.

This brief gives an overview of different country case studies where social protection has been used to address risks arising from climate-related hazards in urban areas.

This brief explores the connections between WASH and social protection, and will help National Societies see how their activities can combine the shared objectives of these two sectors.

The objective of the brief is to provide the government and humanitarian and developmentagencies in Nepal with practical options to strengthen social protection to be more adaptive to shocks.

This paper is the first of a series of outputs and provides a general overview of the social protection and forecast-based financing landscape.

This working paper considers the Covid-19 pandemic alongside climate-related disasters and explores the use of novel tools, programmes and systems in social protection in various national responses to the pandemic.

This advocacy brief aims to provide National Societies with an overview of how linking forecast-based financing and social protection can help in early action and preparedness, showcasing examples from Kenya, Malawi and the Philippines.

This briefing note explains how social protection programmes that benefit individuals and households can complement community-based integrated risk manamagent approaches. 

  This brief explores how social protection can support climate-risk management and resilience by addressing shocks before they happen, including by contributing to the resilience framework proposed in the BRACED programme.