Climate Change and Humanitarian Change2022-02-23T13:03:27+01:00

Climate Change and Humanitarian Change

Implications for norms, mandates and practices in humanitarian action

Climate change is influencing the debate, practice and analysis of key socio-political, security policy and economic fields in Germany and worldwide like hardly any other topic – humanitarian action is no exception. In addition to the numerous conflicts, climate change currently poses the greatest challenge to the already overburdened humanitarian system, in operational, programmatic as well as normative terms. Anticipatory, preventive and sustainable action is increasingly becoming a basic prerequisite in humanitarian aid in order to be a capable and accepted actor.

The CHA project aims to analyse the impact of climate change on the humanitarian system and in particular on norms, mandates and practices of humanitarian action, on the one hand in terms of existing and increasing challenges, and on the other hand in order to identify opportunities to fundamentally address current systemic issues and the related possibilities for change and reorientation.

Contact person: Andrea Steinke

In Focus: Humanitarian action and the Climate Crisis

08.12.2023

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Just in time for the climate conference in Dubai, Caritas Germany has published the brochure “Humanitarian action in the face of the climate crisis”, with an introduction by Andrea Steinke.

Climate Change and Humanitarian Change

23.11.2023

publicationsClimate change is poised to reshape the humanitarian sector. CHA Research Fellow Andrea Steinke investigates three central areas of adaption.

CHA Conference 2024

04.06.2024 00:00 - 23:59

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The CHA Conference 2024 will focus on the topic “Climate & humanitarian crises and the lack of a joint response – Needs, narratives and necessities”. Register now!

Andrea Steinke at Médecins du Monde

18.10.2023

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Andrea Steinke will give the keynote speech on climate change and the challenges facing the humanitarian sector at the global general assembly of Médecins du Monde in Luxembourg.

Loss and damage – a humanitarian kairos moment

03.10.2023

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Could the discourse around loss and damage be the catalyst for humanitarians to drive change and reshape narrative in humanitarian action? ask Sonja Hövelmann and Andrea Steinke in this blog co-published with HPN.

Goda Milasiute at the Human Rights Forum 2023

02.10.2023

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On 17 October, CHA researchers Goda Milasiute and Andrea Steinke will discuss transformative approaches in the humanitarian system at the Human Rights Forum.

Andrea Steinke at the expert dialogue on climate change, protection and migration

08.09.2023

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On 25 September 2023, Andrea Steinke will discuss future challenges posed by climate change at the expert dialogue organised by UNHCR, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the German Institute for Human Rights.

Ralf Südhoff in German radio BR 2 on the Africa Climate Summit

07.09.2023

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CHA Director Ralf Südhoff comments on the results of the Africa ClimateSummit in German radio Bayern2.

Humanitarian Congress Berlin 2023

04.09.2023

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On October 10-13, 2023, the Humanitarian Congress will take place in Berlin. CHA will be represented on the panel as well as with an information booth.

Is it right to count humanitarian aid as loss and damage?

29.08.2023

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How can humanitarian aid count as loss and damage but also acknowledge its insufficient contribution to compensating losses? asks Hugo Slim in this blog co-published with HPN.

Building on local knowledge and partnerships to facilitate trigger development and scale up anticipatory action

11.08.2023

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Sören Schneider argues for more flexible approaches to anticipatory action, in which local knowledge and partnerships can be key entry points to facilitate trigger development.

Climate change and humanitarian challenges – norms, mandates, operations

13.07.2023 11:00 - 13:00

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A consultation workshop designed to facilitate a discussion about the effects of climate change on the humanitarian sector in the three thematic areas: norms & principles, mandates and operations.

Article on climate change and humanitarian action in "Wissenschaft & Frieden"

02.06.2023

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In the current issue of “Wissenschaft & Frieden”, CHA researcher Andrea Steinke explains what possible ways she sees for humanitarian action to meet the challenges posed by the climate crisis. [German]

Is it right to prioritise fragile states in the climate crisis?

31.05.2023

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Could it be wrong to invest in high-risk places when the same money could be used to better and quicker effect in other places where millions of other people are also vulnerable? asks Hugo Slim in this blog co-published with HPN .

Humanitarian Leadership in a fractured world

20.03.2023

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On 20 March, Ralf Südhoff will speak at the European Humanitarian Forum 2023 on leadership in the humanitarian sector in relation to climate change.

 

Workshop: Climate change and humanitarian challenges – norms, mandates, operations

30.03.2023 11:00 - 13:00

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The workshop aims to facilitate a discussion about the effects of climate change on the humanitarian sector in the three thematic areas: norms & principles, mandates and operations.

Interviews with ZEIT Online, Frankfurter Rundschau and Tagesspiegel: The worst crisis year of the century

13.02.2023

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Ralf Südhoff talked to German newspapers ZEIT Online, Frankfurter Rundschau and Tagesspiegel about the current humanitarian situation and gave an outlook on the crisis year 2023.

The stony path of innovation in organisations and humanitarian-development interventions – a local practitioner’s view from climate change affected South Sudan

24.01.2023

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If innovations are proposed by humanitarian actors on the ground, they bear the risk alone. Success, on the other hand, is quickly attributed to all. Jacob Mbudzi, a frontline humanitarian and development practitioner, outlines the difficulties he faced when promoting an innovative solution to climate change-induced problems in South Sudan.

Andrea Steinke on climate change and humanitarian change at the Danish Institute for International Studies

01.12.2022

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On December 13 CHA researcher Andrea Steinke gives an input on climate change & humanitarian change at  the Danish Institute for International Studies.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung: Drought in the Horn of Africa

30.11.2022

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Ralf Südhoff in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on the catastrophic consequences of the ongoing droughts in the Horn of Africa.

Sustainability and Humanitarian Aid - A Fundamental Change

03.11.2022 14:00 - 15:30

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How could green humanitarian practice be supported by basic commitments, standards or rules? KUNO, IECAH, Groupe URD and CHA invite to a webinar discussion.

At a turning point - climate change and the responsibilities of humanitarian actors

17.10.2022

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Climate change is going to be the game change to the humanitarian world. How? By sheer necessity. There is no other way. Otherwise, the humanitarian system will be overworking its way into exhaustion and oblivion. The current international humanitarian system is not fit for purpose to stem what is coming its way.

Andrea Steinke on the state of debate on climate change & humanitarian change at the Humanitarian Assistance Coordinating Committee

25.09.2022

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On September 26 CHA researcher Andrea Steinke gives an input on the state of debate on climate change & humanitarian change at the Humanitarian Assistance Coordinating Committee (KoA), the central forum between the German Government, humanitarian NGOs and other institutions in Germany.

COP27, the Climate Charter and humanitarian change: How can we expand collaboration across and beyond the humanitarian sector?

30.09.2022 12:45 - 14:15

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The German Red Cross and CHA invited to a luncheon with Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on the topic; How can we work together in the humanitarian sector and beyond to strengthen climate and environmental action?

CHA Annual Conference 2022: Where is the Humanitarian Turning Point?

23.11.2022 00:00 - 23:59

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Is it time for a „humanitarian Zeitenwende”, and what elements would be essential for this? This is the topic of the CHA annual conference in 2022.

European Network Retreat

06.10.2022 00:00 - 23:59

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In October, as part of the SPreAD Europe project, CHA invited to another networking meeting of European humanitarian thinktanks in France, hosted by the Groupe URD.

CHAtroom #9: Greening Aid

09.06.2022

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Climate change poses immense challenges to the humanitarian system - at the same time, humanitarian aid itself must become more environmentally friendly. A CHAtroom with Véronique de Geoffroy, Groupe URD, on the buzzword "Greening Aid".

Workshop: Climate Change and Humanitarian Change

16.06.2022 10:00 - 16:00

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In this workshop, we examined the impact of climate change on the humanitarian system, especially on the practices but also on the norms and mandates of humanitarian action, and identify the challenges and opportunities for change for humanitarian actors.

CHAtroom #8: Climate Change and humanitarian action

20.04.2022

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Is climate change just another humanitarian challenge or a game changer for the entire humanitarian system? In CHAtroom No.8 Paul Knox Clark, director of the ADAPT Initiative, provides answers.

Anticipatory action meets climate risk financing

30.03.2022 08:30 - 13:00

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Scaling up anticipatory action and reforming the global disaster risk financing architecture are two key approaches to addressing climate change and its impacts. How can a closer cross-silo cooperation be achieved?

Climate change – a game changer for humanitarian action?

01.03.2022 12:00 - 13:30

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Is climate change also a game changer for humanitarian action? CHA research fellow Andrea Steinke discusses this question with Véronique de Geoffroy, Groupe URD, and Paul Knox Clarke, Climate and Humanitarian Crisis Initiative (CHC).

CHA at the Global Dialogue Platform

09.12.2021 14:10 - 15:00

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From 7 to 9 December 2021, the Global Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Humanitarian Action will take place. Together with WFP, CHA will co-host the panel discussion "Welcoming the experiences and perspectives of new actors in Anticipatory Action".

There are nine harvests left

17.09.2021

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A very worthwhile article in DIE ZEIT in the run-up to the UN World Food System Summit on 23 September explains why hunger is on the rise again worldwide. Ralf Südhoff, Director CHA has his say, criticising that also in food aid too little thought is given to when and how humanitarian action, development policy and conflict prevention should be better interlinked.

Climate Change, Disaster Displacement and (Anticipatory) Humanitarian Action: Challenges ahead

21.07.2021

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The impact of climate change will drastically increase the number of people displaced by disasters and extreme weather events over the upcoming decades. The authors present in this blog the challenges and the scope of work for (anticipatory) humanitarian action.

Haiti Ten Years After Douz Janvye

31.01.2020

publicationsTen years after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, many Haitians want to break with a system that is reproduced by the humanitarian community. In her latest publication, CHA Research Fellow Andrea Steinke takes a closer look at the humanitarian situation in the country - and draws a critical balance.