Integrating Climate Change Into Red Cross Red Crescent Programmes

Home , Colombian Red Cross, Finnish Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross

100 After 2007

80 Before 2007

0 (PfCC2) (PfCC1+2) S. America Gulf (PfCC2) BelRusUkrMol CentSoEurope E. Asia (P fCC2) M. East (PfCC2) S. Asia (PfCC 2) S. S. Africa (PfCC1) N. Africa (PfCC 2) C. Africa (PfCC2) TurkSoCaucasus TurkSoCaucasus C.Asia (PfCC1+2) Pacific (PfCC1+2) E. Africa (PfCC1+2) C. America (PfCC1) W. Africa W. (PfCC1+2) S.E. Asia (PfCC1+2) Caribbean (PfCC1+2)

100 After 2007

80 Before 2007

0 Africa Asia Europe Americas MENA

Considering climate 100 During PfCC2 (After PfCC1)* During PfCC1 Integrating climate change into variability in disaster 80 (Before PfCC2) management Before (PfCC) 60 Addressing natural climate variability Red Cross Red Crescent programmes: Graph 3. is a good step towards dealing with 40 a more severe future. Tuvalu and Occurance of terms before, during and Kiribati are exposed to the impacts 20 after participation of El Nino (wetter period) and La of the region in the Preparedness for Nina (drier period). Taking these 0 Climate Change Central Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa West Africa from global commitments predictable impacts on board, the (PfCC2 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) (PfCC1 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) programme Federation Pacific office issued a La Nina tailored for Pacific Red Cross In the Africa zone, Preparedness for Climate Change (PfCC) phase one was Societies. Upon receiving early implemented in 12 countries and phase two was implemented in seven countries. warning of the impending La Nina Graph 3 illustrates that the percentage of documents using the key terms increased to local action and possible dry conditions, Tuvalu in all regions. The sample size of documents after PfCC1 and during PfCC2 is low (2-7 Daili Rodriguez, a volunteer with the Colombian Red Cross, and Kiribati Red Cross contacted per region) but the trend shows that the usage of the term will continue to remain high. examines coastal erosion on the road to the new village of Arifin Hadi, head of disaster impacts of climate change. This was reinforced by the International Conference their local meteorological office, the San Tropel, built under Colombian Red Cross supervision to house Wayuu indigenous people displaced by coastal management at the Indonesian Red commitments on climate change made by the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, National Disaster Management Office Cross, gives a television interview Where to from here? erosion. It was part of the Netherlands Red Cross 2008–10 about climate issues on the roof which created a further foundation for action on the issue. and the Water Authorities. As a result Pledge Project for climate-related disaster risk reduction. of the National Society’s Jakarta they received weather updates, It is obvious that the 2007 International Conference and the PfCC programme had (Photo: NLRC) headquarters. Indonesia participated in the first phase of PFCC and Below in a series of graphs we can see that there was considerable difference in the updates on water supply and a profound impact on the awareness and acceptance of climate change as a continues to be a major contributor appearance of ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’ terms in the appeal documents established partnerships with key humanitarian concern. However the Red Cross Red Crescent knows that awareness to risk-reduction work in the Asia- of the International Federation after the 2007 International Conference. The graphs stakeholders for collaboration. Since is not enough. Colleagues around the world are asking how they can practically Pacific region. (Photo: NLRC) demonstrate increases in the adoption of the issue within Red Cross Red Crescent the only water sources in Tuvalu integrate climate change considerations into their regular work, be it in disaster across all zones simultaneously and also coinciding with the roll out of the come from rain and sea, Tuvalu Red management, community based risk reduction, health and care, communications, Preparedness for Climate Change programme. Cross initiated public awareness advocacy and partnerships for example. The Early Warning, Early Action approach campaigns on its regular national highlighted in the 2009 World Disasters Report (especially chapter 3) is a good example Graph 1 below clearly shows that across zones, appeals contained ‘climate change’ radio spot - encouraging people to of how climate information – across a range or timescales – can be systematically or ‘global warming’ terms significantly more after the 2007 milestone. The percentage save water, advice on how to boil integrated in Red Cross Red Crescent work. There are some frontrunners within the of reports that mention the terms has more than doubled in all the zones. water and be conscious of hygiene Red Cross Red Crescent and lessons learnt can already be shared. It will be key to (as diarrhea is often a problem build upon these previous experiences for implementing more climate smart projects 100 After 2007 during drought periods when people and also to share approaches that can reduce the impact of climate change upon

80 Before 2007 have less water to wash their hands). the most vulnerable people. 100 During the drought situation that After 2007 60 eventuated, Tuvalu Red Cross worked There remains much work to be done to gear up and continue to decrease vulnerability 80 Before 2007 Graph 1. closely with government including to climate variability and change, and to mobilize the necessary funding to do so. Communicating 40 % of appeal documents water, agriculture and disaster The Climate Centre will continue to support the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement 60 climate change with ‘climate change’ or management departments and as it strives to achieve the goals of the 2007 International Conference Commitments 20 ‘global warming’ terms Through the Preparedness for 40 volunteers have been distributing and Strategy 2020 in the coming decade. Climate Change programme, sixty- 0 water to affected households. four National Societies undertook 20 Mobilization of Resources and (PfCC2)

various forms of awareness raising (PfCC1+2) S. America

0 Gulf (PfCC2) climate change adaptation funding on climate change. This included BelRusUkrMol CentSoEurope

E. Asia (P fCC2) Considering climate M. East (PfCC2) S. Asia (PfCC 2) S. S. Africa (PfCC1) C. Africa (PfCC2) N. Africa (PfCC 2) TurkSoCaucasus TurkSoCaucasus Pacific (PfCC1+2) awareness raising of staff and C.Asia (PfCC1+2) Introduction E. Africa (PfCC1+2) C. America (PfCC1) (PfCC2) W. Africa W. (PfCC1+2) S.E. Asia (PfCC1+2)

Caribbean (PfCC1+2) change and health (PfCC1+2) volunteers, and to those external S. America So far, it has proven difficult for National Societies in development countries to get Gulf (PfCC2) BelRusUkrMol CentSoEurope to the organisation such as partner GraphE. Asia (P fCC2) 2 below demonstrates that within the Asia Pacific zone, East, South and South access to new climate change-related funding sources; this will require sustained policy At the 30th International Conference of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement From year to year and month to M. East (PfCC2) S. Asia (PfCC 2) S. S. Africa (PfCC1) C. Africa (PfCC2) N. Africa (PfCC 2) TurkSoCaucasus TurkSoCaucasus Pacific (PfCC1+2) C.Asia (PfCC1+2) E. Africa (PfCC1+2) organisations as well as the wider C. America (PfCC1) dialogues with their governments. However, many Partner National Societies did month, the climate interacts with our East Asia are using climate Africa changeW. (PfCC1+2) and global warming terms three times as much as a series of commitments were made to address the humanitarian consequences S.E. Asia (PfCC1+2) public. Messages demonstrated the they did before 2007. In other regions such as CentralCaribbean (PfCC1+2) Africa, Europe and Middle East manage to secure funding for climate change adaptation (or are in the process of of climate change, with specific regard to understanding and reducing impacts health in many ways, think about the humanitarian implications of climate the percentage of documents with the key terms increased from non-existent to about applying). Examples are Finnish Red Cross funding from the Nordic Climate Fund to felt by the most vulnerable. The Preparedness for Climate Change Programme seasonality of some vector borne change in the country and what 50%. (This increase coincides in regions where the Preparedness for Climate Change support the Malawi and Mozambique Red Crosses in climate-smart disaster risk (PfCC), initiated by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and implemented diseases, the incidence of action can be taken to address it programme was implemented). management, Austrian Red Cross policy activities in Eastern Europe, community-based in conjunction with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent heatwaves in summer, the through risk reduction and reducing adaptation research in the Solomon Islands and more general scaling up of climate- Societies (International Federation), assisted a total of 64 National Societies from occurrence of water borne disease 100 emissions. National Societies found After 2007 smart disaster risk management in the Pacific by the Australian Red Cross, and a 2006–2011 as they took first steps toward honoring these commitments. Now, during wet seasons. The pioneering that creativity was key to EUR 40 million climate-smart disaster risk reduction program coordinated by the five years later, this paper recognises the hard work of these National Societies work of Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania, 80 Before 2007 A Wetlands International defensive communicating climate change mangrove-plantation off the coast Netherlands Red Cross. Many more are in the pipeline. by featuring some of the many actions they have taken, while also highlighting and Vietnam Red Cross is beginning and examples included brochures, of Flores, Indonesia – part of the a drastic increase in the number of climate related references made in general to investigate how a changing 60 Graph 2. Netherlands inter-agency Partners banners, posters, drama shows, % of appeal documents for Resilience programme that includes appeal documents – seen as demonstrating a general increase in climate change climate interacts with flooding and with ‘climate change’ games, merchandise, cartoons, 40 the Red Cross Red Crescent. Acknowledgements: the Preparedness for Climate Change programme was awareness across the Movement. dengue incidents and how the Red and ‘global warming’ films, radio programmes, fans, (Photo: Wetlands International) Cross Red Crescent can respond terms per zone and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs media dissemination, books, 20 sub-region with its governments and teams of colouring pages… and more! volunteers alongside affected 0 communities. Africa Asia Europe Americas MENA For more information please contact the Visit the Climate Centre website at www.climatecentre.org Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre at: for more examples from around the world. [email protected] or by phone +31 (0)70 4455886.

100 During PfCC2 (After PfCC1)* During PfCC1 80 (Before PfCC2)

Before (PfCC) 60

0 Central Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa West Africa (PfCC2 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) (PfCC1 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) Disaster risk reduction and 3. Capacity building for climate resilient programmes through exchanging climate change integration experiences with other National Societies and partners in a regional workshop that incorporated climate change Efforts to integrate climate change 4. Developing climate resilient plans and programmes considerations into disaster risk reduction programmes are too Which National Societies participated numerous to list. Some good examples have been seen in Uganda, in the programme? crossheasds where the Red Cross Society crossheasds supported community based The table below demonstrates which sixty four National Societies participated in the volunteers in the construction of fuel ‘official’ PfCC programme. In addition to this, many more National Societies have also efficient cook stoves and the planting been involved in the programme through engaging in training opportunities, of thousands of trees, in a country undertaking it through additional funding channels and even being involved in pilot with one of the highest deforestation projects which informed the development of the programme. This indicates that the real rates in the world, this will help to number of National Societies involved totals nearly half of the International Federation’s increase natural buffers against a membership. more uncertain future – likely to include more extreme floods, National Societies involved in the droughts and food insecurity. They Indonesian Red Cross volunteer What did we commit to? also guided the construction of flood Preparedness for Climate Change programme* Firmus Resi with a young jati shrub planted on the edge of a maize resistant shelters in response to the field on Flores island as part of the In 2007, at the 30th International Conference of the Red Cross Red Crescent community’s desire to address Phase 1 Kenya (x) Phase 2 Nepal (x) Young women among the 400 Red Netherlands Red Cross 2008–10 Crescent volunteers in Syria who What did PfCC achieve? Pledge Project for climate-related (Inter national Conference), the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Interna- increased flood risk and anticipated 2006–2009 Kirgizstan 2009–2011 Papua New Guinea helped residents plant nearly 40,000 disaster risk reduction. (Photo: NLRC) tional Federation, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and governments ex- increased occurrence of extreme Antigua and Kiribati Angola (x) Rwanda (x) trees in the desert areas of Ahasakka The results of two independent evaluations demonstrated that as a result of the PfCC pressed deep concern “that people everywhere, especially the poorest of the poor, face rainfall events. Activities by the Barbuda (x) Laos (x) Armenia (x) Sudan (x) and Deir Ezour in response to drought programme, new partnerships were developed. Almost all the National Societies conditions. (Photo: Hosam Faysal/IFRC) an increased burden due to the rise in disasters and the scarcity of resources induced Ethiopia Red Cross such as Argentina (x) Madagascar (x) Bangladesh (x) Suriname (x) formed new or enhanced partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, by multiple factors such as environmental degradation and climate change, contributing terracing, eyebrow and micro basins, Bahamas (x) Malawi (x) Bhutan Syria meteorological institutions, and universities. Partnerships were initiated through to poverty, migration, health risks and aggravated risk of violence and conflict”. Parties trench construction and the seedling Bolivia Mauritius Cameroon Tajikistan (x) workshops, collection of information from new sources, and joint projects such as resolved to address the humanitarian consequences of environmental degradation and planting already seem to be paying Burkina Faso Nicaragua (x) Cape Verde Turkmenistan (x) development of community based early warning systems. Collaboration with existing climate change by: off as degraded land is showing Burundi Philippines (x) Chile (x) Yemen partners has also been enhanced, driven by the growing need to share knowledge, signs of recovery. And the Colombia Colombia (x) Seychelles (x) Dominican and information, coordinate efforts and unite resources to increase preparedness and • raising awareness Red Cross decided through a Cook Islands (x) Solomon Islands (x) Republic (x) minimize risk. • working with partners participatory process that relocation Costa Rica (x) St Kitts and Nevis (x) East Timor (x) Climate, policy dialogues • decreasing vulnerability of a coastal community - away from El Salvador (x) Tanzania (x) Fiji (x) How does PfCC relate to the IC commitments? • assisting the most vulnerable, especially in affected developing countries frequently flooded areas – was the Ethiopia Thailand India (x) and networks • improving preparedness and response best option in their climate smart Gambia Tonga (x) Mali The Preparedness for Climate Change programme assisted National Societies in National Societies and selected • integrating adaptation to climate change into disaster risk reduction and disaster disaster risk reduction programme. Grenada (x) Trinidad and Mexico (x) Training and education addressing their International Conference commitments and also coincided with civil society actors in Serbia, management policies and plans Regional efforts are exemplified in Guatemala (x) Tobago (x) Micronesia (x) Adjusting school curricula to a surge in global awareness of the issue of climate change. In order to measure the Macedonia, Montenegro and • mobilizing resources and building capacity Asia where groups of National Guyana Uganda (x) Mongolia (x) incorporate disaster risk reduction inclusion of climate change into regular programmes of Red Cross Red Crescent Croatia have taken the lead • complementing and providing input to the United Nations Framework Societies met to learn more about Honduras (x) Uzbekistan Morocco (x) and climate change has been a a team of volunteer researchers were engaged. This team analysed thousands of amongst civil society Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).1 considering climate change and DRR Indonesia (x) Zimbabwe Myanmar (x) major investment many National International Federation zonal, regional and national general appeal (not emergency organizations to join forces in in sub-national trainings. Jamaica (x) Namibia (x) Societies around the globe have appeal) documents from 2003-2011 for the occurrence of key search terms, including advocating and raising awareness What is ‘Preparedness for Climate Change’? made over the past few years. In the terms ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’. What follows is an overview of the about climate change concerns in *An ‘X’ indicates that the National Society completed all steps of the programme. Latin America for example the findings of this work. their countries. South East Europe The Red Cross Red Crescent ‘Preparedness for Climate Change Programme’ (PfCC) National Societies joined forces to is highly vulnerable to climate was developed by the Climate Centre in 2006 and implemented in collaboration with create education materials together. How were the documents researched? change, which will induce socio- the International Federation. It offered the opportunity for National Societies to engage Villagers in Ebinat, near Gondar, Many National Societies in Latin economic, humanitarian and in incorporating climate change into their operations. This was achieved through Ethiopia, one of the places where America even obtained additional All appeal documents were arranged according to country, region and zone levels and the Netherlands Red Cross has environmental challenges. participation in a flexible four-step process with the objective of learning and raising been working to combine disaster funding to gear up their work on then searched manually using Adobe for key terms. These key terms were recorded in A cross-sectoral cooperation in awareness about country-specific climate change risks, analysing those risks in the risk rediction and climate change education campaigns. This has led an Excel spreadsheet database. Some constraints included the fact that for some years the field of climate change context of their country’s own vulnerabilities, and developing strategies to prepare and adaptation as part of the 2008–10 to numerous youth initiatives and and countries, documents were simply not available. For this reason, in the graphs that Pledge Project. Interventions in adaptation and disaster risk minimize the consequences of climate change for vulnerable communities. The overall Ethiopia were mainly agricultural, knowledge raising activities at follow, you will find that rather than simply listing the number of times a key term was reduction is needed to face these goal of the programme is to reduce the vulnerability of people in developing countries focusing on small-scale irrigation community level. German and Danish found, the percentage of documents the key terms were found was chosen. (Photo: NLRC) challenges. This is one of the to the risks of climate change. and conservation. Red Cross Societies have conducted concrete examples within the trainings for staff and delegates What do the findings show? Movement where the NSs are The four steps included: around the world in how to consider seriously attempting to advocate a more hostile climate in their It is not possible to attribute the occurrence of terms in appeal documents to just one in a joint effort with other 1. Organizing a workshop on the risks of climate change programmes. A climate training kit event or programme, but these graphs demonstrate that 2007 was a key year. More organization to bring in their 2. Assessing the risks of climate change in the country and the priorities and is currently under production by the widely it came after the release of Al Gore’s film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, the release expertise in national adaptation programmes of the National Societies through a background document. It also Climate Centre and will be available of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report and plans. included the production of communication materials based on these risks. online as a resource package for coincided with the development of the ‘Bali Action Plan’ in international climate colleagues to adapt to their contexts. negotiations. This plan highlighted the need for action on adapting to the unavoidable 1 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Resolutions and declarations, November 2007, www.ifrc.org/meetings/ statutory/intconf/30th/index.asp Disaster risk reduction and 3. Capacity building for climate resilient programmes through exchanging climate change integration experiences with other National Societies and partners in a regional workshop that incorporated climate change Efforts to integrate climate change 4. Developing climate resilient plans and programmes considerations into disaster risk reduction programmes are too Which National Societies participated numerous to list. Some good examples have been seen in Uganda, in the programme? crossheasds where the Red Cross Society crossheasds supported community based The table below demonstrates which sixty four National Societies participated in the volunteers in the construction of fuel ‘official’ PfCC programme. In addition to this, many more National Societies have also efficient cook stoves and the planting been involved in the programme through engaging in training opportunities, of thousands of trees, in a country undertaking it through additional funding channels and even being involved in pilot with one of the highest deforestation projects which informed the development of the programme. This indicates that the real rates in the world, this will help to number of National Societies involved totals nearly half of the International Federation’s increase natural buffers against a membership. more uncertain future – likely to include more extreme floods, National Societies involved in the droughts and food insecurity. They Indonesian Red Cross volunteer What did we commit to? also guided the construction of flood Preparedness for Climate Change programme* Firmus Resi with a young jati shrub planted on the edge of a maize resistant shelters in response to the field on Flores island as part of the In 2007, at the 30th International Conference of the Red Cross Red Crescent community’s desire to address Phase 1 Kenya (x) Phase 2 Nepal (x) Young women among the 400 Red Netherlands Red Cross 2008–10 Crescent volunteers in Syria who What did PfCC achieve? Pledge Project for climate-related (Inter national Conference), the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Interna- increased flood risk and anticipated 2006–2009 Kirgizstan 2009–2011 Papua New Guinea helped residents plant nearly 40,000 disaster risk reduction. (Photo: NLRC) tional Federation, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and governments ex- increased occurrence of extreme Antigua and Kiribati Angola (x) Rwanda (x) trees in the desert areas of Ahasakka The results of two independent evaluations demonstrated that as a result of the PfCC pressed deep concern “that people everywhere, especially the poorest of the poor, face rainfall events. Activities by the Barbuda (x) Laos (x) Armenia (x) Sudan (x) and Deir Ezour in response to drought programme, new partnerships were developed. Almost all the National Societies conditions. (Photo: Hosam Faysal/IFRC) an increased burden due to the rise in disasters and the scarcity of resources induced Ethiopia Red Cross such as Argentina (x) Madagascar (x) Bangladesh (x) Suriname (x) formed new or enhanced partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, by multiple factors such as environmental degradation and climate change, contributing terracing, eyebrow and micro basins, Bahamas (x) Malawi (x) Bhutan Syria meteorological institutions, and universities. Partnerships were initiated through to poverty, migration, health risks and aggravated risk of violence and conflict”. Parties trench construction and the seedling Bolivia Mauritius Cameroon Tajikistan (x) workshops, collection of information from new sources, and joint projects such as resolved to address the humanitarian consequences of environmental degradation and planting already seem to be paying Burkina Faso Nicaragua (x) Cape Verde Turkmenistan (x) development of community based early warning systems. Collaboration with existing climate change by: off as degraded land is showing Burundi Philippines (x) Chile (x) Yemen partners has also been enhanced, driven by the growing need to share knowledge, signs of recovery. And the Colombia Colombia (x) Seychelles (x) Dominican and information, coordinate efforts and unite resources to increase preparedness and • raising awareness Red Cross decided through a Cook Islands (x) Solomon Islands (x) Republic (x) minimize risk. • working with partners participatory process that relocation Costa Rica (x) St Kitts and Nevis (x) East Timor (x) Climate, policy dialogues • decreasing vulnerability of a coastal community - away from El Salvador (x) Tanzania (x) Fiji (x) How does PfCC relate to the IC commitments? • assisting the most vulnerable, especially in affected developing countries frequently flooded areas – was the Ethiopia Thailand India (x) and networks • improving preparedness and response best option in their climate smart Gambia Tonga (x) Mali The Preparedness for Climate Change programme assisted National Societies in National Societies and selected • integrating adaptation to climate change into disaster risk reduction and disaster disaster risk reduction programme. Grenada (x) Trinidad and Mexico (x) Training and education addressing their International Conference commitments and also coincided with civil society actors in Serbia, management policies and plans Regional efforts are exemplified in Guatemala (x) Tobago (x) Micronesia (x) Adjusting school curricula to a surge in global awareness of the issue of climate change. In order to measure the Macedonia, Montenegro and • mobilizing resources and building capacity Asia where groups of National Guyana Uganda (x) Mongolia (x) incorporate disaster risk reduction inclusion of climate change into regular programmes of Red Cross Red Crescent Croatia have taken the lead • complementing and providing input to the United Nations Framework Societies met to learn more about Honduras (x) Uzbekistan Morocco (x) and climate change has been a a team of volunteer researchers were engaged. This team analysed thousands of amongst civil society Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).1 considering climate change and DRR Indonesia (x) Zimbabwe Myanmar (x) major investment many National International Federation zonal, regional and national general appeal (not emergency organizations to join forces in in sub-national trainings. Jamaica (x) Namibia (x) Societies around the globe have appeal) documents from 2003-2011 for the occurrence of key search terms, including advocating and raising awareness What is ‘Preparedness for Climate Change’? made over the past few years. In the terms ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’. What follows is an overview of the about climate change concerns in *An ‘X’ indicates that the National Society completed all steps of the programme. Latin America for example the findings of this work. their countries. South East Europe The Red Cross Red Crescent ‘Preparedness for Climate Change Programme’ (PfCC) National Societies joined forces to is highly vulnerable to climate was developed by the Climate Centre in 2006 and implemented in collaboration with create education materials together. How were the documents researched? change, which will induce socio- the International Federation. It offered the opportunity for National Societies to engage Villagers in Ebinat, near Gondar, Many National Societies in Latin economic, humanitarian and in incorporating climate change into their operations. This was achieved through Ethiopia, one of the places where America even obtained additional All appeal documents were arranged according to country, region and zone levels and the Netherlands Red Cross has environmental challenges. participation in a flexible four-step process with the objective of learning and raising been working to combine disaster funding to gear up their work on then searched manually using Adobe for key terms. These key terms were recorded in A cross-sectoral cooperation in awareness about country-specific climate change risks, analysing those risks in the risk rediction and climate change education campaigns. This has led an Excel spreadsheet database. Some constraints included the fact that for some years the field of climate change context of their country’s own vulnerabilities, and developing strategies to prepare and adaptation as part of the 2008–10 to numerous youth initiatives and and countries, documents were simply not available. For this reason, in the graphs that Pledge Project. Interventions in adaptation and disaster risk minimize the consequences of climate change for vulnerable communities. The overall Ethiopia were mainly agricultural, knowledge raising activities at follow, you will find that rather than simply listing the number of times a key term was reduction is needed to face these goal of the programme is to reduce the vulnerability of people in developing countries focusing on small-scale irrigation community level. German and Danish found, the percentage of documents the key terms were found was chosen. (Photo: NLRC) challenges. This is one of the to the risks of climate change. and conservation. Red Cross Societies have conducted concrete examples within the trainings for staff and delegates What do the findings show? Movement where the NSs are The four steps included: around the world in how to consider seriously attempting to advocate a more hostile climate in their It is not possible to attribute the occurrence of terms in appeal documents to just one in a joint effort with other 1. Organizing a workshop on the risks of climate change programmes. A climate training kit event or programme, but these graphs demonstrate that 2007 was a key year. More organization to bring in their 2. Assessing the risks of climate change in the country and the priorities and is currently under production by the widely it came after the release of Al Gore’s film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, the release expertise in national adaptation programmes of the National Societies through a background document. It also Climate Centre and will be available of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report and plans. included the production of communication materials based on these risks. online as a resource package for coincided with the development of the ‘Bali Action Plan’ in international climate colleagues to adapt to their contexts. negotiations. This plan highlighted the need for action on adapting to the unavoidable 1 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Resolutions and declarations, November 2007, www.ifrc.org/meetings/ statutory/intconf/30th/index.asp Disaster risk reduction and 3. Capacity building for climate resilient programmes through exchanging climate change integration experiences with other National Societies and partners in a regional workshop that incorporated climate change Efforts to integrate climate change 4. Developing climate resilient plans and programmes considerations into disaster risk reduction programmes are too Which National Societies participated numerous to list. Some good examples have been seen in Uganda, in the programme? crossheasds where the Red Cross Society crossheasds supported community based The table below demonstrates which sixty four National Societies participated in the volunteers in the construction of fuel ‘official’ PfCC programme. In addition to this, many more National Societies have also efficient cook stoves and the planting been involved in the programme through engaging in training opportunities, of thousands of trees, in a country undertaking it through additional funding channels and even being involved in pilot with one of the highest deforestation projects which informed the development of the programme. This indicates that the real rates in the world, this will help to number of National Societies involved totals nearly half of the International Federation’s increase natural buffers against a membership. more uncertain future – likely to include more extreme floods, National Societies involved in the droughts and food insecurity. They Indonesian Red Cross volunteer What did we commit to? also guided the construction of flood Preparedness for Climate Change programme* Firmus Resi with a young jati shrub planted on the edge of a maize resistant shelters in response to the field on Flores island as part of the In 2007, at the 30th International Conference of the Red Cross Red Crescent community’s desire to address Phase 1 Kenya (x) Phase 2 Nepal (x) Young women among the 400 Red Netherlands Red Cross 2008–10 Crescent volunteers in Syria who What did PfCC achieve? Pledge Project for climate-related (Inter national Conference), the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Interna- increased flood risk and anticipated 2006–2009 Kirgizstan 2009–2011 Papua New Guinea helped residents plant nearly 40,000 disaster risk reduction. (Photo: NLRC) tional Federation, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and governments ex- increased occurrence of extreme Antigua and Kiribati Angola (x) Rwanda (x) trees in the desert areas of Ahasakka The results of two independent evaluations demonstrated that as a result of the PfCC pressed deep concern “that people everywhere, especially the poorest of the poor, face rainfall events. Activities by the Barbuda (x) Laos (x) Armenia (x) Sudan (x) and Deir Ezour in response to drought programme, new partnerships were developed. Almost all the National Societies conditions. (Photo: Hosam Faysal/IFRC) an increased burden due to the rise in disasters and the scarcity of resources induced Ethiopia Red Cross such as Argentina (x) Madagascar (x) Bangladesh (x) Suriname (x) formed new or enhanced partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, by multiple factors such as environmental degradation and climate change, contributing terracing, eyebrow and micro basins, Bahamas (x) Malawi (x) Bhutan Syria meteorological institutions, and universities. Partnerships were initiated through to poverty, migration, health risks and aggravated risk of violence and conflict”. Parties trench construction and the seedling Bolivia Mauritius Cameroon Tajikistan (x) workshops, collection of information from new sources, and joint projects such as resolved to address the humanitarian consequences of environmental degradation and planting already seem to be paying Burkina Faso Nicaragua (x) Cape Verde Turkmenistan (x) development of community based early warning systems. Collaboration with existing climate change by: off as degraded land is showing Burundi Philippines (x) Chile (x) Yemen partners has also been enhanced, driven by the growing need to share knowledge, signs of recovery. And the Colombia Colombia (x) Seychelles (x) Dominican and information, coordinate efforts and unite resources to increase preparedness and • raising awareness Red Cross decided through a Cook Islands (x) Solomon Islands (x) Republic (x) minimize risk. • working with partners participatory process that relocation Costa Rica (x) St Kitts and Nevis (x) East Timor (x) Climate, policy dialogues • decreasing vulnerability of a coastal community - away from El Salvador (x) Tanzania (x) Fiji (x) How does PfCC relate to the IC commitments? • assisting the most vulnerable, especially in affected developing countries frequently flooded areas – was the Ethiopia Thailand India (x) and networks • improving preparedness and response best option in their climate smart Gambia Tonga (x) Mali The Preparedness for Climate Change programme assisted National Societies in National Societies and selected • integrating adaptation to climate change into disaster risk reduction and disaster disaster risk reduction programme. Grenada (x) Trinidad and Mexico (x) Training and education addressing their International Conference commitments and also coincided with civil society actors in Serbia, management policies and plans Regional efforts are exemplified in Guatemala (x) Tobago (x) Micronesia (x) Adjusting school curricula to a surge in global awareness of the issue of climate change. In order to measure the Macedonia, Montenegro and • mobilizing resources and building capacity Asia where groups of National Guyana Uganda (x) Mongolia (x) incorporate disaster risk reduction inclusion of climate change into regular programmes of Red Cross Red Crescent Croatia have taken the lead • complementing and providing input to the United Nations Framework Societies met to learn more about Honduras (x) Uzbekistan Morocco (x) and climate change has been a a team of volunteer researchers were engaged. This team analysed thousands of amongst civil society Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).1 considering climate change and DRR Indonesia (x) Zimbabwe Myanmar (x) major investment many National International Federation zonal, regional and national general appeal (not emergency organizations to join forces in in sub-national trainings. Jamaica (x) Namibia (x) Societies around the globe have appeal) documents from 2003-2011 for the occurrence of key search terms, including advocating and raising awareness What is ‘Preparedness for Climate Change’? made over the past few years. In the terms ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’. What follows is an overview of the about climate change concerns in *An ‘X’ indicates that the National Society completed all steps of the programme. Latin America for example the findings of this work. their countries. South East Europe The Red Cross Red Crescent ‘Preparedness for Climate Change Programme’ (PfCC) National Societies joined forces to is highly vulnerable to climate was developed by the Climate Centre in 2006 and implemented in collaboration with create education materials together. How were the documents researched? change, which will induce socio- the International Federation. It offered the opportunity for National Societies to engage Villagers in Ebinat, near Gondar, Many National Societies in Latin economic, humanitarian and in incorporating climate change into their operations. This was achieved through Ethiopia, one of the places where America even obtained additional All appeal documents were arranged according to country, region and zone levels and the Netherlands Red Cross has environmental challenges. participation in a flexible four-step process with the objective of learning and raising been working to combine disaster funding to gear up their work on then searched manually using Adobe for key terms. These key terms were recorded in A cross-sectoral cooperation in awareness about country-specific climate change risks, analysing those risks in the risk rediction and climate change education campaigns. This has led an Excel spreadsheet database. Some constraints included the fact that for some years the field of climate change context of their country’s own vulnerabilities, and developing strategies to prepare and adaptation as part of the 2008–10 to numerous youth initiatives and and countries, documents were simply not available. For this reason, in the graphs that Pledge Project. Interventions in adaptation and disaster risk minimize the consequences of climate change for vulnerable communities. The overall Ethiopia were mainly agricultural, knowledge raising activities at follow, you will find that rather than simply listing the number of times a key term was reduction is needed to face these goal of the programme is to reduce the vulnerability of people in developing countries focusing on small-scale irrigation community level. German and Danish found, the percentage of documents the key terms were found was chosen. (Photo: NLRC) challenges. This is one of the to the risks of climate change. and conservation. Red Cross Societies have conducted concrete examples within the trainings for staff and delegates What do the findings show? Movement where the NSs are The four steps included: around the world in how to consider seriously attempting to advocate a more hostile climate in their It is not possible to attribute the occurrence of terms in appeal documents to just one in a joint effort with other 1. Organizing a workshop on the risks of climate change programmes. A climate training kit event or programme, but these graphs demonstrate that 2007 was a key year. More organization to bring in their 2. Assessing the risks of climate change in the country and the priorities and is currently under production by the widely it came after the release of Al Gore’s film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, the release expertise in national adaptation programmes of the National Societies through a background document. It also Climate Centre and will be available of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report and plans. included the production of communication materials based on these risks. online as a resource package for coincided with the development of the ‘Bali Action Plan’ in international climate colleagues to adapt to their contexts. negotiations. This plan highlighted the need for action on adapting to the unavoidable 1 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Resolutions and declarations, November 2007, www.ifrc.org/meetings/ statutory/intconf/30th/index.asp 100 After 2007

80 Before 2007

100 After 2007

80 Before 2007

0 Africa Asia Europe Americas MENA

Considering climate 100 During PfCC2 (After PfCC1)* During PfCC1 Integrating climate change into variability in disaster 80 (Before PfCC2)

management Before (PfCC) 60 Addressing natural climate variability Red Cross Red Crescent programmes: Graph 3. is a good step towards dealing with 40 a more severe future. Tuvalu and Occurance of terms before, during and Kiribati are exposed to the impacts 20 after participation of El Nino (wetter period) and La of the region in the Preparedness for Nina (drier period). Taking these 0 Climate Change Central Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa West Africa from global commitments predictable impacts on board, the (PfCC2 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) (PfCC1 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) programme Federation Pacific office issued a La Nina tailored for Pacific Red Cross In the Africa zone, Preparedness for Climate Change (PfCC) phase one was Societies. Upon receiving early implemented in 12 countries and phase two was implemented in seven countries. warning of the impending La Nina Graph 3 illustrates that the percentage of documents using the key terms increased to local action and possible dry conditions, Tuvalu in all regions. The sample size of documents after PfCC1 and during PfCC2 is low (2-7 Daili Rodriguez, a volunteer with the Colombian Red Cross, and Kiribati Red Cross contacted per region) but the trend shows that the usage of the term will continue to remain high. examines coastal erosion on the road to the new village of Arifin Hadi, head of disaster impacts of climate change. This was reinforced by the International Conference their local meteorological office, the San Tropel, built under Colombian Red Cross supervision to house Wayuu indigenous people displaced by coastal management at the Indonesian Red commitments on climate change made by the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, National Disaster Management Office Cross, gives a television interview Where to from here? erosion. It was part of the Netherlands Red Cross 2008–10 about climate issues on the roof which created a further foundation for action on the issue. and the Water Authorities. As a result Pledge Project for climate-related disaster risk reduction. of the National Society’s Jakarta they received weather updates, It is obvious that the 2007 International Conference and the PfCC programme had (Photo: NLRC) headquarters. Indonesia participated in the first phase of PFCC and Below in a series of graphs we can see that there was considerable difference in the updates on water supply and a profound impact on the awareness and acceptance of climate change as a continues to be a major contributor appearance of ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’ terms in the appeal documents established partnerships with key humanitarian concern. However the Red Cross Red Crescent knows that awareness to risk-reduction work in the Asia- of the International Federation after the 2007 International Conference. The graphs stakeholders for collaboration. Since is not enough. Colleagues around the world are asking how they can practically Pacific region. (Photo: NLRC) demonstrate increases in the adoption of the issue within Red Cross Red Crescent the only water sources in Tuvalu integrate climate change considerations into their regular work, be it in disaster across all zones simultaneously and also coinciding with the roll out of the come from rain and sea, Tuvalu Red management, community based risk reduction, health and care, communications, Preparedness for Climate Change programme. Cross initiated public awareness advocacy and partnerships for example. The Early Warning, Early Action approach campaigns on its regular national highlighted in the 2009 World Disasters Report (especially chapter 3) is a good example Graph 1 below clearly shows that across zones, appeals contained ‘climate change’ radio spot - encouraging people to of how climate information – across a range or timescales – can be systematically or ‘global warming’ terms significantly more after the 2007 milestone. The percentage save water, advice on how to boil integrated in Red Cross Red Crescent work. There are some frontrunners within the of reports that mention the terms has more than doubled in all the zones. water and be conscious of hygiene Red Cross Red Crescent and lessons learnt can already be shared. It will be key to (as diarrhea is often a problem build upon these previous experiences for implementing more climate smart projects 100 After 2007 during drought periods when people and also to share approaches that can reduce the impact of climate change upon

various forms of awareness raising (PfCC1+2) S. America

0 Gulf (PfCC2) climate change adaptation funding on climate change. This included BelRusUkrMol CentSoEurope

100 During PfCC2 (After PfCC1)* During PfCC1 80 (Before PfCC2)

Before (PfCC) 60

0 Central Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa West Africa (PfCC2 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) (PfCC1 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) 100 After 2007

80 Before 2007

100 After 2007

80 Before 2007

0 Africa Asia Europe Americas MENA

Considering climate 100 During PfCC2 (After PfCC1)* During PfCC1 Integrating climate change into variability in disaster 80 (Before PfCC2)

various forms of awareness raising (PfCC1+2) S. America

0 Gulf (PfCC2) climate change adaptation funding on climate change. This included BelRusUkrMol CentSoEurope

100 During PfCC2 (After PfCC1)* During PfCC1 80 (Before PfCC2)

Before (PfCC) 60

0 Central Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa West Africa (PfCC2 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2) (PfCC1 only) (PfCC1+PfCC2)