OPEN LETTER ON HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

We hope that the priority areas are discussed at COP29 openly, bravely, and inclusively.

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To UNFCCC parties, Foreign Offices, and the COP 29 Presidency,

At the end of 2023, UN OCHA estimated that nearly 300 million people worldwide would need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024. The drivers of humanitarian needs are complex and are due to multiple compounding factors; however, it is impossible to ignore the immense impact of climate change on humanitarian crises, which are becoming more frequent, severe, and complex. Temperature increases leading to heatwaves; extreme weather patterns and increasing intensity of droughts, floods, and cyclones; and the compounding impact of climate change in conflict-affected and fragile countries, are some ways climate change is visible in the humanitarian context. 

The adverse effects of climate change disproportionately impact those who are already in vulnerable situations, owing to factors such as age, gender, disability, indigenous or minority status, geographical location, and lack of the means to adapt to increasingly harsh living conditions. Those most affected by the crisis are generally excluded from the discussions and efforts to tackle the climate crisis, and their valuable contributions to help their communities adapt to or mitigate the impacts of climate change are overlooked. 

While mitigation and adaptation efforts are ongoing, we are now entering an era with increased losses and damages as a result of climate change. Humanitarians, who are often seen as ‘last resort’ actors who come in when all else fails and primarily engage in emergency and short-term responses, are being stretched by recurrent, seasonal, and protracted crises. It is crucial to recognise the humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis and take action now before it becomes too late. 

Start Network is a membership organisation of almost 100 local, national, and international NGO members working together across six continents to revolutionalise the global humanitarian system. Between 2014-2023, Start Network has disbursed more than £132 million, reaching more than 26 million people in 76 countries. 

Bringing together voices from our membership

Below are the key areas that need greater action in the context of the climate crisis and its humanitarian impacts: 

  • Financing - Current levels of humanitarian financing are not adequate for humanitarian needs, and this is being further exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Donors must increase their financial commitments to meet humanitarian needs and reach climate finance targets while exploring innovative forms of financing to make limited funds go further. This increase in additional funding should not be at the cost of diverting or repurposing any existing funding.
  • Proactive Humanitarian Action - Humanitarians can and must act earlier and take more proactive action in advance of a crisis to reduce human loss and harm. There is a need to shift resources and practices to greater support proactive humanitarian action such as through increased pre-arranged and flexible financing and the mainstreaming of anticipatory action.   
  • Locally Led Action - Local and national actors are best placed to respond to crises, yet they continue to receive a minimal share of financing. Commitments to locally led action require support through increased funding directly towards local and national actors, and improved access for local and national actors to climate finance and the promotion of local leadership and voices in decision-making forums.
  • Resilience Strengthening - Humanitarian assistance alone cannot meet the increasing and reoccurring climate-related impacts on populations in conflict and fragile contexts. In humanitarian response, funding needs to address both immediate lifesaving needs and climate resilience strengthening, to address worsening climate impacts on vulnerable populations.
  • Reaching the most Marginalised through Inclusive Climate Action Frameworks - It is crucial to consider the multiple and often compounding forms of marginalisation that different people face across their life span, which can make them more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly in humanitarian contexts. Donors must strengthen coordination and collaboration of climate and humanitarian actors to address the specific needs of people facing multiple and intersecting forms of marginalisation, including Indigenous and minority groups, older people, women, children, and people with disabilities. This includes integrating rapid and inclusive human rights analysis with an intersectional approach in all climate finance programming.

We hope that the above priority areas are discussed at COP29 openly, bravely, and inclusively, and as representatives of the civil society, we expect specific actions and commitments from Member States during the negotiations to address the pressing challenges impacting the humanitarian sector.

Sincerely,

Start Network and its members:

  1. Age International
  2. ASHIKA Development Associates
  3. Asociación de Servicios Comunitarios de Salud (ASECSA)
  4. Association des Femmes pour la Promotion et le Développement Endogène (AFPDE)
  5. Association of Voluntary Actions for Society (AVAS)
  6. Azat Foundation
  7. Bolipara Nari Kalyan Somity (BNKS)
  8. Bright Star Development Society Balochistan (BSDSB)
  9. Caritas Bangladesh 
  10. Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD)
  11. Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS)
  12. CESVI
  13. COAST Foundation
  14. Community Development Foundation (CDF)
  15. Community World Service Asia
  16. Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM)
  17. DOABA Foundation.
  18. Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO)
  19. Gana Unnayan Kendra (GUK)
  20. Gargaar Relief and Development Organization (GREDO)
  21. Help Age International
  22. Help Foundation Pakistan
  23. Hope Restoration South Sudan
  24. Initiative for Development & Empowerment Axis (IDEA)
  25. Islamic Relief Worldwide
  26. JAGO NARI
  27. KAALO Aid & Development
  28. Laar Humanitarian and Development Programme (LHDP)
  29. Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS)
  30. Manzil Organization Baluchistan
  31. Medair
  32. Mercy Corps
  33. Mother and Children Development Aid (MaCDA) 
  34. Muslim Aid
  35. Nabolok
  36. National Development Programme (NDP)
  37. Nazrul Smriti Sangsad (NSS)
  38. North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS)
  39. Organisation for Social and Economic Development (OSED)
  40. Participatory Rural Development Society(PRDS)
  41. Peoples Oriented Program Implementation (POPI)
  42. Plan International
  43. PRO-VIDA
  44. Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS)
  45. Relief International
  46. Rural Community Development Society (RCDS)
  47. Rural Development Foundation (RDF)
  48. Samaj Kallyan Sangstha (SKS)
  49. SANGTANI WOMEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (SWRDO)
  50. Save Somali women and Children
  51. Shariatpur Development Society (SDS)
  52. Shushilan
  53. Social and Economic Enhancement Programme (SEEP)
  54. Society for mobilization advocacy and justice (SMAAJ)
  55. TAAKULO SOMALI COMMUNITY
  56. TEARFUND
  57. UTTARAN
  58. VEER Development Organisation
  59. WAJIR SOUTH DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (WASDA)
  60. Women For Change (WFC)
  61. World Jewish Relief
  62. World Vision
  63. Yuganter