Climate and environmental crises are at the top of our list of five global challenges we must address in our Strategy 2030—our network’s collective plan of action to tackle the major humanitarian and development challenges of this decade. In Strategy 2030, we aim to:

• Integrate climate risk management across all of our programmes
• Focus on the drivers of vulnerability
• Build a strong collective voice on climate
• Reduce our own climate and environmental footprint

Concretely, through our Plan and Budget 2021-2025 we aim to ensure that:

• 250 million people are better protected from heat (the most ignored and rapidly rising climate risk) by 2025, in at least 150 cities and towns
• 50 coastal cities are supported to adapt to longer-term impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, by 2025
• 100 National Societies harness the power of nature through nature-based solutions focused on reducing disaster risks and adapting to and mitigating climate change, with a particular focus on planting of trees and mangroves
• 100 National Societies implement environmental or climate campaigns focused on behaviour change, plastic reduction or clean-ups

In 2021, the IFRC and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations to build collective ambition in our sector to step up our response to climate and environmental crises.

The IFRC has identified the following specific targets for our organization under the Climate and Environment Charter. These are in line with our commitment to support National Societies in their climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction activities, and to reach vulnerable people with activities addressing a broad range of climate risks. These targets are aligned with our Global Plan and Budget and will be measured through our internal monitoring systems.

Under the 1st commitment

• Target 1: Reach 250 million people with activities to address the rising climate risks. 
• Target 2: By 2025, climate and environmental risks are factored into all our programmes and humanitarian operations. 

Under the 2nd commitment

• Target 3: Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from IFRC’s activities year-on-year, with progressive ambition. Specific targets for the various lines of activities to be established by 2022.

Under the 3rd commitment

• Target 4: At least 100 National Societies have formulated explicit ambitions to address the rising climate and environmental risks in their operational plans, leveraging their auxiliary role and in collaboration with other partners, by 2025.