Climate change to increase burden on humanitarian actors
New Delhi | Sunday, Nov 22 2009 IST
 

Natural disaster caused by climate change is putting increasing demands on the humanitarian community, says a survey by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). ''World powers expect humanitarian actors to face continuing or increasing humanitarian needs driven by climate change-related natural disasters,'' says the survey, released just three weeks before the start of the crucial UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen. In a country like Kenya one can already see the signature of climate change in terms of droughts and most recent floods.

In Sudan, land degradation, deforestation and the impacts of climate change are already threatening the Sudanese people's prospect for long-term peace, food security and sustainable development. However, ''there are many examples where, with environmental planning, the situation might have been sustained or improved, rather than having declined,'' says Achim Steiner, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment(UNEP) while releasing the survey at Nairobi this week. The survey says climate change unchecked is likely to trigger increasing tensions over scarce natural resources. With an increase in global temperature, the arctic snow would melt fast giving rise to sea-levels which was likely to wipe out many low lying coutries.

Besides, floods and droughts would become more severe, putting under strain the economy of many countries.

The sea-level rise and scarcity of water in the snow-fed rivers was going to cause large scale migrations creating a new problem of climate refugees.

The IFRC-commissioned survey, entitled 'Believe in Humanity', was released as hundreds of delegates from the 186 national societies of the Red Cross/Red Crescent gathered for their week-long General Assembly in the United Nations compound in the Kenyan capital. The meeting is taking place as countries begin to prepare for the historic climate talks next month that will also define the future role of humanitarian work. In just a few weeks' time, the governments will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the crucial UN climate convention meeting. The decisions taken there may shape the future of this century in terms of human vulnerability and disaster management as a result of the impacts of global warming.

Since 1999, UNEP has responded to the environmental impacts of conflicts and disasters in over 25 countries. 'Disasters and conflict' is one of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s main priority areas, and the organisation has so far operated in more than 40 countries, often in collaboration with front-line organisations like the IFRC. The Nairobi meeting is also marking the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and the 150th anniversary of the battle of Solferino that left tens of thousands of soldiers dead and prompted Swiss businessman Henry Dunant, to found the Red Cross movement, which today is the world's largest humanitarian network with millions of volunteers.

-- (UNI) -- 22DI17.xml

 

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