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/0%1/((,2/(%3'4%$'&/+5,2/+%$6)1,*/%
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;> $6)1,*/%75,+2/%5,(%,%5?1,+%3,7/%@%)*%)(%)+74/,()+2%-)(,(*/4%4)(.%3'4%1)66)'+(%'3%
*5/%A'46-B(%1'(*%C?6+/4,D6/%&/'&6/>%
CllmaLe change ls noL a fuLure LhreaL: lL ls a key drlver of dlsasLers now. 1he frequency and
lnLenslLy of floods, sLorms and droughLs ls lncreaslng and Lhe average number of people affecLed
by cllmaLe-relaLed naLural dlsasLers annually ls esLlmaLed aL 243 mllllon. SclenLlflc evldence
lndlcaLes LhaL Lhls Lrend wlll conLlnue aL an acceleraLed pace and Lhe forecasL ls LhaL by 2013, Lhe
number of people affecLed per year wlll have lncreased Lo 373 mllllon. 1hose sufferlng mosL from
Lhls growlng uncerLalnLy are Lhe pooresL and mosL vulnerable, llvlng ln rlsk-prone counLrles. 1hese
people lack Lhe resources Lo adapL Lo, or cope wlLh, Lhe rapldly changlng cllmaLe paLLerns and Lhus
sLand Lo lose whaL llLLle soclo-economlc developmenL Lhey have achleved.
!
E> $'&/+5,2/+%&4/(/+*(%,+%'&&'4*?+)*0%*'%&4'*/7*%'?4%3?*?4/%2/+/4,*)'+(>%
1lme Lo reach an agreemenL ln Copenhagen almed aL reduclng greenhouse gas emlsslons and
helplng counLrles adapL Lo Lhe adverse effecLs of cllmaLe change ls qulckly Llcklng away. 1hls
conference represenLs an hlsLorlc opporLunlLy Lo produce a falr, blndlng, global agreemenL Lo
address our fuLure and ensure LhaL Lhe unavoldable human sufferlng caused by cllmaLe change ls
mlnlmlzed. SlxLy years ago, a slmllar agreemenL resulLed ln Lhe proLecLlon of subsequenL
generaLlons, when sLaLes agreed Lo proLecL vlcLlms of war and confllcL by slgnlng Lhe Ceneva
ConvenLlons.!

F> G5/%7?44/+*%26'D,6%5?1,+)*,4),+%(0(*/1%-'/(%+'*%5,C/%*5/%7,&,7)*0%*'%5,+-6/%
,+0%)+74/,(/-%-/1,+->%%
A furLher lncrease ln Lhe number of dlsasLers wlll overwhelm naLlonal and global dlsasLer
managemenL sysLems. 1he humanlLarlan sysLem musL address Lhls challenge by scallng up dlsasLer
response and preparedness aL all levels - local Lo global.

H> !1&4'C)+2%(,3/*0%,+-%4/()6)/+7/%*54'?25%/,460%,-,&*,*)'+%,7*)'+>%%
We are already faclng some of Lhe effecLs of cllmaLe change now, and have early warnlng evldence
of lLs fuLure lmpacL. lor Lhls reason, Lhere ls a need for enhanced acLlon on adapLaLlon Lo help
averL or reduce Lhe worsL humanlLarlan consequences of cllmaLe change. 1hls means LhaL ln any


"!# #$%&!'()*+'+,!-**./0- - oslLlon and key messages - !"#$%&'()**+(,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(
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global cllmaLe change agreemenL, cllmaLe change adapLaLlon measures musL lnclude dlsasLer rlsk
reducLlon, dlsasLer preparedness, and response as parL of lLs rlsk managemenL approach. 1hese
are Lhe flrsL llnes of defence for Lhe vulnerable ln many rlsk-prone counLrles.
!
<> I'7,6%,7*)'+%)(%*5/%./0%*'%,-,&*,*)'+>%
8ed Cross 8ed CrescenL daLa clearly lndlcaLes LhaL mosL dlsasLers are small and locallzed. lf
adapLaLlon Lo cllmaLe change ls Lo be efflclenL, humanlLarlan acLors musL focus on supporLlng
adapLaLlon and coplng sLraLegles ln local communlLles. 1here ls clearly no one slze flLs all"
sLraLegy for adapLaLlon. 1he 8ed Cross 8ed CrescenL, wlLh lLs ouLreach and neLwork aL grassrooLs
level, ls ready Lo face Lhls challenge.!
!
J> K/%5,C/%('6?*)'+(%,+-%*5/%,D)6)*0%*'%)1&6/1/+*%*5/1>%%
Lvldence suggesLs LhaL adapLaLlon success depends on broader developmenL progress. CllmaLe
change ls an addlLlonal sLraln whlch ls added Lo Lhe llsL of oLher rlsk facLors affecLlng advances ln
developmenL, such as envlronmenLal degradaLlon, urbanlzaLlon and vlolence. CllmaLe change
adapLaLlon, Lherefore, should bulld on many of Lhe soluLlons developed Lo address Lhese rlsks. !
!
lor example, cyclone preparedness programmes ln 8angladesh and Mozamblque have saved
hundreds of Lhousands of llves and can be expanded Lo address Lhe lncreased rlsk of heavy sLorms
and floods. Slmllarly, 8ed cross 8ed CrescenL publlc hyglene campalgns have lmproved prlmary
healLhcare ln Lhousands of vlllages and clLles, and can be easlly upgraded Lo address cllmaLe
change relaLed rlsks, such as Lhe spread of dengue and malarla. !
!
Slmllarly, we are already lnLegraLlng cllmaLe lnformaLlon lnLo our humanlLarlan plannlng and
communlcaLlng Lhe lmpacL of cllmaLe change Lo local communlLles.!
!
Cne hundred and elghLy-slx naLlonal 8ed Cross and 8ed CrescenL SocleLles and Lhelr local
branches, as auxlllarles Lo publlc auLhorlLles, are commlLLed Lo moblllzlng Lhelr neLworks and
brlnglng Lhese soluLlons Lo people aL rlsk, as parL of a global endeavour Lo address Lhe lmpacL of
cllmaLe change.!



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CcLober 2009