COPENHAGEN – International development agencies Tearfund and World Vision today told delegates at the UNFCCC conference how local people must not be excluded in the fight to tackle the climate crisis.
It is crucial that the poorest and most vulnerable communities impacted by climate change are at the heart of the work of development agencies in the fight against climate change at the local level.
At the community level the impacts of climate change are converging with existing causes of poverty. The international response must be integrated across sectors and built into existing programs that seek to address issues of food insecurity, natural disasters, health and water stress.
Mike Wiggins, Environmental Sustainability Advisor for Tearfund UK said, “community engagement through tools like CEDRA, that climate proof existing development projects and identify new adaptation projects, provide a practical way to empower local people that are hit hardest by climate change.
“There has been a huge interest in CEDRA because there are very few other resources available to agencies working with local communities to help them become resilient to climate and environmental change,” Mr Wiggins said.
“Our partners and communities keep telling us that climate and environmental change are hitting them hard now, and that this training helps them understand the impacts on all types of projects, and how to make them resilient.”
World Vision Ethiopia’s National Director, Mrs Tenagne Lemma said World Vision is witnessing the devastating effects of climate change on the poorest communities in the world. “We are experiencing recurrent droughts and crops are failing more frequently,” Ms Tenagne said.
“Community-based solutions such as World Vision’s Humbo Project that deals with both adaptation and mitigation elements of climate change – are turning threats into emerging opportunities for local communities.
James Kalikwembe, Evangelical Alliance of Malawi and Tearfund Partner said, “the CEDRA assessment tool has helped us see how climate change impacts all of our work.
“Now we know how to make our projects resistant to climate change. Our communities are happy now that we can help them to prepare for changing weather patterns and natural hazards, and to ensure food security, good water resources and health.”
World Vision’s Humbo Assisted Natural Regeneration Project is Africa’s first large-scale forestry project and will soon be registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. World Vision Ethiopia’s Carbon Specialist, Assefa Tofu, said since 2005, the Humbo Project had restored more than 2,700 hectares of degraded land in south-western Ethiopia.
World Vision Australia CEO, Reverend Tim Costello, said developing countries were already taking steps to combat climate change, and it was essential their efforts were supported.
Notes:
About Tearfund
Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency building a global network of churches to help eradicate poverty. We work through local churches in over 50 countries to transform lives materially and spiritually. CEDRA is an environmental field tool for agencies working in developing countries that helps them to access and understand the science of climate change and environmental degradation and compare this with local community experience of environmental change.
About World Vision International
World Vision International is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation operating in 100 countries. We are dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. As well as providing relief in emergency situations, we work on long-term development projects with local communities to address the causes of poverty and help them become self-sufficient.
Ends
For more information and to discuss this further contact:
Bill Pheasant, World Vision +61 413 701 028 / bill.pheasant@worldvision.com.au
Esther Williams, Tearfund +44 (0) 7595 202 438 esther.williams@tearfund.org