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Geneva, 22 July 2019 – Red Cross climate experts are available to discuss the potential humanitarian impact of this week’s European heatwave, as well as the simple and affordable steps that can be taken to protect lives.
Temperatures are expected to climb to record levels over the coming days, placing huge pressure on health and social welfare systems across the continent, and potentially threatening the lives and well-being of vulnerable people.
Red Cross experts can highlight some of the concrete measures that individuals and authorities can take to reduce the potential humanitarian impact of the heatwave. They can also discuss the clear links between climate change and heatwaves and share findings from the Red Cross’ recently released Heatwave Guide for Cities.
Available experts include:
In New York: Julie Arrighi, Red Cross climate expert and one of the authors of the Heatwave Guide for Cities.
In Geneva: Tessa Kelly, Climate Change Coordinator, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
In 2020 UNICEF and the IFRC launched a study to explore the extent of integration of gender considerations, including gender-based violence (GBV) risk mitigation, prevention and response considerations, in national and regional disaster risk management (DRM) legal and policy frameworks in Eastern and Southern Africa.
This report provides an overview of the study's findings. It isbased on a desk review, consultations and key informant interviews on DRM legal and policy frameworks and their implementation in Ethiopia, Burundi, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia (including Puntland and Somaliland), South Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, the African Union Commission (AUC), the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Excellencies, it is my privilege to address this plenary and I thank our host, the Government of the United Kingdom for their efforts to increase attention and action on the resilience agenda.
The climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis. Every day, we are seeing the growing impacts of climate change. Loss and damage are our daily reality.
In the month of October, there were 15 weather-related disasters affecting over 14.9 million people. Since the beginning of 2021, droughts have affected 40.1 million people—the highest number since 2016.
The IFRC and our 192-member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are responding to disasters and the humanitarian needs of people every day and working on local solutions to adapt to rising risks.
But the most vulnerable people are getting left behind.
The IFRC assessed which countries were the most climate-vulnerable looking at their exposure and coping capacities.We identified five countries with VERY high climate-vulnerability and a further 66 as having high vulnerability to climate-related threats.
But these countries are not getting the support they need.
Per person climate adaptation funding in 2019 averaged under one US dollar per person in very high vulnerability countries.
Somalia, the most vulnerable, ranks only 54th for per person climate change adaptation funding disbursements, whilst Afghanistan comes in 96th.
Many countries not receiving funding are fragile contexts that are hard to work in.
We must find ways to invest even where it is hard to do so, and we must collaborate to fill the gaps and get the resources to the local communities that are worst affected.
Global commitments are important, but they need to translate into local climate action.Communities, local governments, local organizations and local businesses need to be in the lead.
We will do our part. The IFRC, together with theInternational Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC), developed theClimate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations.
This now has over 170 signatories, and in this charter we all commit to greening our operations and to scaling up our climate action, building resilience wherever we work.
We are investing more in anticipatory action to save lives, in using nature-based solutions to build resilience, all while enabling locally-led action in the face of rising risks.
And we need to work together with you to do this.
For many people, survival is under threat today, in vulnerable countries but also in Australia, Europe, and the United States, where thousands have been killed by heatwaves, wildfires, floods and storms.
This will get worse as warming increases.
All of us will need to act before it’s too late. Let’s not miss our chance.
This literature review contributes to the work of the IFRC Disaster Law Programme to support governments in strengthening their domestic legal frameworks to enable more effective disaster recovery.
It reviewed documents published between 1999 and 2020 and examines:
key concepts associated with disaster-related ‘recovery’ and ‘reconstruction’ as understood by governments, practitioners, scholars and international organisations
the state of international laws, rules and principles with respect to recovery and reconstruction
key legal and operational issues arising in recovery and reconstruction, which may be relevant to domestic law and policy making.
The following joint statement can be attributed to the Presidents of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) ahead of COP26, on the last day of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement Summit on pandemics, climate change and local action:
Today, the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis are affecting every aspect of our lives and societies, including our physical and mental wellbeing, our livelihoods, and our economies. The poorest and the most vulnerable, who have contributed least to the climate crisis, are being hit hardest.
In the lead-up to COP26, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is urging world leaders to act now for rapid and drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and at the same time to urgently address the existing and imminent humanitarian impacts of climate change, taking into account the lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis.
Around the world, poor and vulnerable communities are facing multiple crises at once. The layered effects of extreme-weather events, food insecurity, COVID-19 and conflicts, are putting millions of lives at risk and creating unprecedented humanitarian needs. Climate change is functioning as a risk multiplier, with increasingly devastating impacts. Since the beginning of the pandemic, climate-related disasters have severely affected the lives of at least 139 million people. Of the 25 countries most vulnerable to climate change, 14 are also mired in conflict. And yet these very communities and countries are among the most neglected by climate finance. This needs to change.
No state or organization can do this alone. The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is committed to playing its part in the global efforts to stem the climate crisis.
We have witnessed the ‘Power of Many’, as millions of volunteers from National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, stepped up to help curb the global pandemic. As auxiliaries to their government in the humanitarian field, National Societies are key players in the climate crisis. Our staff and volunteers are on the front lines in communities across the world before, during and after disasters hit. They also provide advice to their authorities in strengthening disaster risk governance through well drafted disaster-related laws which enable effective preparedness, response and coordination. They are supporting people affected to build their resilience for future shocks and supporting authorities to strengthen their preparedness and prevention measures.
We are also reducing the environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions from our programmes and operations and calling on others to do the same. The Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizationshas rallied to date more than 150 National Societies, small NGOs and large international organizations ready to work together to turn their commitments into tangible action.
The survival of humanity depends on the actions we take today to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts. It is not too late to act, and world leaders gathering at COP26 must rise to the challenge.
These are the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement’s five asks to world leaders:
Ensure a focus on the most vulnerable. We must prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable people, including marginalized groups, people in crises and those displaced. We must understand their risks, vulnerabilities, and capacities to be more resilient, and ensure they are informed and included in global, national and local decisions and plans. Inclusive decision making at every level is essential.
Increase finance for adaptation that targets the most vulnerable countries and communities. Vital mitigation efforts need to be accompanied by strong support to climate adaptation, which remains underfunded and underprioritized.
Invest in preparedness, enable more preventive and early action. We are already confronting losses and damages in a more volatile climate. And yet, responding reactively won’t be enough in a crisis of this magnitude. We must invest in preparedness across sectors, and in risk analysis to better anticipate potential climate disasters for early action.
Turn global commitments into local action. Global and national climate action plans often fail to empower those at risk to take effective local action. It is essential to support local institutions and organizations such as National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through investment in institutional capacities, and in access to adaptation finance and decision-making processes.
Protect the environment, including through adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL). Environmental degradation exacerbates vulnerabilities. IHL protects the natural environment and limits environmental degradation. Respect for IHL prevents the deeply interlinked civilian harm that accompanies environmental damage in armed conflict.
The climate crisis is here, today; it will only worsen in the future. The world must take steps now to mitigate its severity and its effects on the world’s most vulnerable. COP26 is an opportunity to reduce the damage. It’s an opportunity we all must seize together.
Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
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For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Tommaso Della Longa, IFRC, +41 79 708 43 67, [email protected]
Aurélie Lachant, ICRC, +41 79 244 6405, [email protected]
Cairo, 1 March 2022 -The first ever Middle East and North Africa Humanitarian Leadership Conference will conclude today with a set of recommendations to address the increasing humanitarian challenges in the region. The conference, held under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Egypt, brought together humanitarian actors to address key humanitarian concerns in the region, home to some of the worst protracted crises in the world.
The two-day conference, organized by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS), discussed how to enhance collaboration to alleviate human suffering and support those affected by climate change and related disasters, conflicts and health emergencies.Participants included representatives from the Egyptian Government, the World Health Organization, World Bank, International Committee of the Red Cross as well as Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies.
Dr. Nivine Al Qabbage Minister of Social Solidarity, Vice president of Egyptian Red Crescent Society said:
“We, as Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies, are the first responders to humanitarian crises in our respective countries. We meet here today with other humanitarian actors to ensure that international humanitarian coordination mechanisms are aligned and relevant as well as to develop innovative partnerships that mobilize resources to continue supporting our communities.”
The countries in the Middle East and North Africa continue to suffer from decades of extreme climate conditions, including severe heat, limited groundwater and rainfall and scarcity of agricultural and arable land, which make them particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts.
An estimated 70 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in the region. Young people in particular continue to pay the price of protracted crises and disasters. The region has the highest youth unemployment rates in the world and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation, leading to an average of up to 40 per cent of young women being without a job.
Dr. Hossam Elsharkawi, IFRC Regional Director said:
“Even after two years, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to amplify the inequalities in the region. It is imperative that all humanitarian actors come together to better assist those most vulnerable, who too often fall between the cracks. This can only happen when we shift the leadership to truly locally led humanitarian efforts while committing to respectful partnerships focused on local priorities.”
At the end of the conference, the participants will agree on a call to action that will shape their joint humanitarian response operations during health emergencies, climate related disasters, migration and partnerships.
Participants agreed on:
Working hand in hand with nature, use nature-based solutions to enhance and/or build resilience.
Engage in the development of National Adaptation Plans since Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies are auxiliaries to their governments and can lead the climate action from the local level.
Empower youth as agents of change in changing leaders’ mindset and advocating for change and addressing the climate and environmental crises.
Proactively work to formalize and implement cross-sectoral and multi-agency partnerships that include key governmental bodies/authorities to scale up humanitarian preparedness and response focused on vulnerable communities, people on the move, protracted crises, epidemics/pandemics, and natural disasters.
Support IFRC in leading the Localization work stream, supervising the implementation of efforts aiming to make humanitarian action “as local as possible and as international as necessary”.
Continue embarking on IFRC’s strategic approach to National Society Development that aspires to strengthen National societies and their branches when it comes to quality leadership, transparent financial management, relationship with authorities and community engagement and participation.
Conduct Humanitarian diplomacy efforts to better recognize the added value of Red Cross/ Crescent National Societies through our auxiliary role to public authorities and grassroots access through volunteers.
For more information or to organize interviews:
Silvia Simon, Egyptian Red Crescent Society, [email protected], 00201227404477
Rana Cassou, IFRC MENA, [email protected], 0033675945515
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Strategy 2030 calls for an urgent shift of leadership and decision-making to themost local level – placing local communities at the very centre of change so thatour actions are effective, inclusive, and sustainable. Achieving this will require the IFRC Secretariat and National Societies to adopt a more systematic, consistent,and high-quality approach to how we engage with and are accountable to communities.
This CEA strategy sets out the key actions to achieve this over the next three years and ensure we meet the Movement-wide Commitments for Community Engagement and Accountability adopted at the 2019 Council of Delegates. It builds on the good practices already enabling stronger community engagement, while addressing the barriers and gaps preventing progress.
Geneva, 10 October – Record high temperatures this year—which are fueling catastrophes in Somalia, Pakistan and around the world—foreshadow a future with deadlier, more frequent and more intense heat-related humanitarian emergencies, a new report warns.
Released a month ahead of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27), Extreme Heat: Preparing for the heatwaves of the futuresays that, with climate change making heatwaves ever more dangerous, aggressive steps must be taken now to avert potentially recurrent heat disasters.
“As the climate crisis goes unchecked, extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and floods, are hitting the most vulnerable people the hardest,” says Martin Griffiths, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Nowhere is the impact more brutally felt than in countries already reeling from hunger, conflict and poverty.”
The report—the first to be published jointly by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)—offers concrete steps that humanitarians and decision makers can take to mitigate extreme heat’s worst effects. 2022 has already seen communities across North Africa, Australia, Europe, South Asia and the Middle East suffocate under record-high temperatures. Most recently the Western United States and China have buckled under severe heat.
The report, notes that, in the coming decades, heatwaves are predicted to meet and exceed human physiological and social limits in regions such as the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and South and South-West Asia. Extreme heatwaves in these regions, where humanitarian needs are already high, would result in large-scale suffering and loss of life, population movements and further entrenched inequality, the report warns.
“The climate crisis is intensifying humanitarian emergencies all around the world. To avert its most devastating impacts, we must invest equally on adaptation and mitigation, particularly in the countries most at risk,” says Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the IFRC.
“At COP27, we will urge world leaders to ensure that this investment reaches local communities that are on the frontline of the climate crisis. If communities are prepared to anticipate climate risks and equipped to take action, we will prevent extreme weather events from becoming humanitarian disasters.”
Heatwaves prey on inequality, with the greatest impacts on isolated and marginalized people. The report stresses that the urgent priority must be large and sustained investments that mitigate climate change and support long-term adaptation for the most vulnerable people.
The report also finds that, although the impacts of extreme heat are global, some people are hit harder than others. Vulnerable communities, such as agricultural workers, are being pushed to the front lines while the elderly, children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women are at higher risk of illness and death.
The world’s lowest-income countries are already experiencing disproportionate increases in extreme heat. These countries are the least to blame for climate change, but they will see a significant increase in the number of at-risk people in the coming decades.
Building on a growing body of knowledge and good practice around early warning, anticipatory action and response systems to heatwaves, the report suggests the following five key steps to help the most vulnerable people:
Provide early information on heatwaves to help people and authorities take timely action.
Support preparedness and expand anticipatory action, especially by local actors, who are often the first responders in emergencies.
Find new and more sustainable ways of financing local action.
Adapt humanitarian response to accelerating extreme heat. Humanitarian organizations are already testing approaches such as more thermally appropriate emergency housing, ‘green roofs’, cooling centres and adjustments to school timetables, but this will require significant investments in research and learning.
Strengthen engagement across the humanitarian, development and climate spheres.
Addressing the impact of extreme heat in the long-term and helping communities, towns, cities and countries adapt to extreme heat risk will require sustained development planning.
The full report is available here.
Note to editors:
Videos and photos are available at this link and this linkfor use by the media.
For more information, please contact:
IFRC (Geneva): Jenelle Eli, +1-202-603-6803, [email protected]
OCHA (New York): Jaspreet Kindra, +1-929-273-8109, [email protected]
This brochure offers an overview of the various Red Cross and Red Crescent reference centres, hubs and other initiatives across our network. Each of them provides key services in a particular focus area—from first aid to migration—to members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and our humanitarian partners.
This brochure was updated in 2021 and offers contact details and background for each centre, hub or initiative.
Early warning is one of many important tools that contribute to the prevention of disasters and preparedness for hazards and threats. A well-prepared National Society or NGO will understand and promote the role of people-centred early warning systems (EWS) in reducing disaster risk.
These guiding principles are one of a set of guides prepared by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), along with the guides for vulnerability and capacity assessment (VCA),public awareness and public educationand contingency planning,to provide a solid toolkit for disaster risk reduction/management practitioners.
If you are from a National Society, you can access the completeCommunity Early Warning Systems Training Toolkit on FedNethereand the related field guide here.