Intervention Areas

CARE recognises that climate change may pose the greatest threat in history to realizing its vision. The people we work with tell us that the impacts of climate change are already causing:

·         More people to suffer from hunger;

·         More people to live without access to adequate water;

·         An increase in health threats;

·         A decline in the productivity of natural resource based livelihoods; and

·         An increase in the frequency, scale and intensity of conflicts over natural resources.

CARE is responding to the urgency of these consequences by working with those most vulnerable to climate change to dramatically expand their access to the information, resources and support necessary for adaptation. We also recognise that people's vulnerability to climate change is exasperated by other factors, so CARE is at the forefront of confronting persistent socioeconomic and political inequities that limit poor people's adaptive capacity.

• gender equity & women's empowerment

• conflict & Refugees

• water & natural resources

• governance

• civil society

• girls' & basic education

• emergency relief

CARE’s global response to climate change

CARE International began adapting its worldwide programming to the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change in July 2006 with the launch of its 'Poverty-Climate Change Initiative.' The first step included a seven-month internal process of learning about, reflecting upon and planning how to support the efforts of Care International Members and Country Offices to address climate change. It generated a series of country profiles and technical summaries.

In early 2007, a CARE International Task Force of members from Country Offices, Regional Management Units, CARE International Members and the Care International Secretariat recommended that CARE concentrate its efforts on the following:

§         Community based adaptation to climate change

§         Making carbon finance mechanisms work for poor people

§         Climate change policy engagement

§         Organisational change

These four themes provide the framework around which we are building and implementing a 2007-2009 strategy that includes major activities and specific tasks. Based on our progress to date, lessons learnt and an analysis of present circumstances, the 2010-2012 CARE International Climate Change Strategy is currently being developed. It will be launched and available at the end of 2009.

To find out further information about CARE’s global response, visit www.careclimatechange.org