Climate Change: Coping with the Humanitarian Impact

Key Actions

Despite the severity of the flooding affecting Mozambique in 2007, few lives were lost due to good preparedness. [Photo: WFP/Mirko Pecci ]

Tackling the threat of climate change in risk-prone areas will need a system-wide shift in our attention – in the shape of more funds, resources and expertise – to strengthen preparedness for an effective response. There are many dimensions to this, but two critical elements are to:

• Ensure dedicated funding. Disaster preparedness in risk-prone countries needs dedicated, reliable and consistent funding. The 2007 flood response in Mozambique illustrates the payback of investing in preparedness.

• Focus efforts on ensuring good disaster preparedness at a national level in high-risk countries. Mozambique demonstrates that, in countries with a viable government, the role of disaster management at the national level is critical, and a prerequisite for an effective response.

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