Climate Change Resilience
Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network
We have already begun to see the impacts of climate change across the world.
Climate change will increase average temperature, which will lead to a wide range of impacts including...
--a rise in sea levels |
Some of these impacts will be new climatic events (for example, sea level rise). Others will be new or unexpected patterns of existing climate events (for example, the 20-year storm happens every year). Finally, some impacts will be new characteristics of existing climate events (for example, monsoon rains concentrated over 48 hours). |
Climate change will hit poor and vulnerable people the hardest. These populations have the fewest resources to prepare and plan for the impacts, and the lowest capacity to respond. They are also often heavily reliant on the climate for livelihood and in many cases, survival, and the most exposed to climate extremes.
The Rockefeller Foundation Climate Change Initiative would catalyze attention, funding, and action in building climate change resilience for poor and vulnerable people globally by:
- Creating robust action models of climate change resilience for poor and vulnerable people
- Funding, promoting, and disseminating those models
- Increasing pressure on funders, practitioners, and policy-makers to support increased funding and action for climate change resilience for poor and vulnerable people
Speech transcript
Climate Change Adaptation: The Next Great Challenge for the Developing World
February 15, 2008; Boston
Address by Judith Rodin to the American Association for the Advancement of ScienceChosen for inclusion in Vital Speeches of the Day
Perspectives on Funding Climate Change Programs
April 11.2008 NYRAG discussion memo
Climate change is perceived as an environmental issue when in reality it impacts every dimension of society. Funders who perceive it that way will never break out of the box. —Maria Blair more; NYRAG
The Role of Science in Addressing Global Warming
April 1, 2008; Transcript of contribution from Maria Blair
Conversations on Sciences's Transforming Impact(CRDF)
What does rising temperature mean for poor and vulnerable people for their livelihoods, for where they live, for how they survive, for their health? ...What does the increase in temperature mean for an increase of storm severity and frequency, the spread of disease, increased droughts, or heat waves? more; podcast
Crops and Climate ChangeIn September, a group of experts from the genetic conservation, climate science, agricultural development, and plant genetics communities met at the RF Conference Center in Bellagio for a discussion addressing the management of crop genetic conservation in the face of climate change. Read report
IPCC Head Pachauri Addresses RF Board, Staff
November 29, 2007
News
The Climate Change Resilience Team leader is Maria Blair; BioEmail the team: climate@rockfound.org
RECENT STUDIES:
Climate Change: global-health threat of the 21st century
Lancet/Global Health Commission; 5/09
Health Impacts of Climate Change
European Commission; 4/09
Climate-Ready Crop Hunt Accelerates
May 22 2009; Global Crop Diversity Trust press release
Plant breeding efforts are not moving fast enough to develop new varieties to withstand the stresses of climate change. more
Adaptation Emerges as Key
May 26 2009; Yale Environment 360
The Rockefeller plan is aimed at a major adaptation issue: poorer nations may well be hit hardest. more
Climate Impacts Loom for Small Number of Cities
May 13, 2009; ClimateWire
Bringing global and regional data on climate change impacts down to the country and community levels is increasingly critical. more
Where Warming Hits Hard
January 15, 2009; Nature
Bangladesh is already suffering the ill effects of rising global greenhouse gas emissions. more
Climate Threats for Vietnam, SE Asia
May 1, 2009; by Nguyen Dang Vu Long; SciDevNet
By the end of the century climate change will cost South-East Asian countries the equivalent of 6.7 per cent of GDP each year. This dwarfs the costs of the current financial crisis. Rice production will decline dramatically; rising sea levels could submerge tens of thousands of hectares. more
CCAP Offers Climate Recommendations in Response to Congressional Invitation
April 30, 2009
CCAP announcement, 05/05/09
Rockefeller Foundation grantee and its partners provide expert testimony suggesting paths to progress. testimony; press release; Center for Clean Air Policy
The Next Urban Crisis:
Poverty and Climate Change
April 8, 2009; Judith Rodin's blog; worldbank.org
Accelerating, unplanned urbanization around the world tends to concentrate low-income people in high risk areas. moreBill Shifts Climate Focus to Impacts
April 1, 2009; ClimateWire
Adaptation is at the center of a climate and energy bill that marks a shift to dealing with unavoidable consequences of global warming. more
Reproduced with permission ©2009, E&E Publishing LLC
Sims Plans to Green HUD as Deputy Sec'y
March 9, 2009; Grist.org
"The question that everybody should ask is, 'What will happen in 2050?,' and work backwards." more
Higher Temps, Rising Sea Levels for NYC
February 17, 2009; New York City Press Release
City will also face more frequent and intense extreme weather events. more
Ho Chi Minh City: Tides at 49 Year High
November 14, 2008; Vietnam News Briefs
Flood tides broke through dyke embankments, submerging many areas in Binh Thanh, Thu Duc, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi and 12 districts, causing chaos among thousands. more
States, Cities Step Up Climate Change Responses
October 19, 2008; Washington Post Writers Group
Before the fiscal crisis, there was the climate crisis. After the fiscal crisis, we’ll still have the climate crisis. more
RF Saves Eliminated Climate Program
September 25, 2008
Tiempo Climate Newswatch:
Interview with Mickey Glantz, CCB director
Grantee activity
Adapt or Die: Climate Change & the Poor
September 11, 2008; The Economist
Global warming is happening faster than expected...we must learn to adapt.
Brookings Institution:
How Will the World’s Poor Cope with Climate Change?
New York City Task Force to Adapt Critical Infrastructure to Environmental Effects of Climate Change
August 12, 2008; Press release
How Climate Change Threatens Africa's Food Security
July 25, 2008; South African Mail & Guardian
Climate change has a profound and unavoidable effect on food security in Africa, as increasing temperatures and shifting rain patterns reduce access to food. more
Climate Change Adaptation: The Next Great Challenge for the Developing World
American Association for the Advancement of Science: Plenary Address by Judith Rodin; 2008 Annual Meeting; February 15, 2008; video| transcript