The human cost of climate change

NGOs meeting the challenge in Vietnam

October 29th

Fiona PercyNGO CCWG CoordinatorCARE Internationalfpercy@care.org.vn

Poor people in Vietnam suffer most from the impact of climate change.

What can we do?

“We have to avoid the unmanageable and manage the unavoidable.”

(John Schellnhuber)

• Helping especially Helping especially poor, vulnerable poor, vulnerable communities communities ADAPTADAPT to climate change.to climate change.

• Helping especially Helping especially poor, vulnerable poor, vulnerable communities communities ADAPTADAPT to climate change.to climate change.

Many NGOs already have the experiences, skills and relationships needed to make a difference.

1.1.MITIGATINGMITIGATING climate climate change through change through multiple-benefit multiple-benefit projects that also projects that also support adaptation support adaptation activities.activities.

1.1.MITIGATINGMITIGATING climate climate change through change through multiple-benefit multiple-benefit projects that also projects that also support adaptation support adaptation activities.activities.

1.1.ADVOCATINGADVOCATING for for just policies to just policies to mitigate climate mitigate climate change and support change and support poor communities’ poor communities’ adaptation effortsadaptation efforts

1.1.ADVOCATINGADVOCATING for for just policies to just policies to mitigate climate mitigate climate change and support change and support poor communities’ poor communities’ adaptation effortsadaptation efforts

• Embarking on a process of Embarking on a process of ORGANIZATIONALORGANIZATIONAL CHANGECHANGE to adapt NGOs to adapt NGOs own policies and own policies and procedures to the realities procedures to the realities of climate changeof climate change

• Embarking on a process of Embarking on a process of ORGANIZATIONALORGANIZATIONAL CHANGECHANGE to adapt NGOs to adapt NGOs own policies and own policies and procedures to the realities procedures to the realities of climate changeof climate change

NGOs address this through:

In CC responses, NGOs:• Pilot innovative approaches• Stress participatory, community based systems• Mobilise people’s participation, build their

capacity to help themselves• Integrate gender, rights, equity issues• Link disaster risk reduction, environmental

protection and development projects• Focus on local ownership and sustainable

results• Bring evidence from grass roots to the policy

dialogue and the media• Transfer effective technologies

Adaptation to chronic long term changes: Community-based adaptation (CBA)

Participatory Watershed project, Ba Thuoc District:- Community based future landscape

planning- Sloping land techniques (SALT)- Afforestation- Diversification

….. is about helping communities adjust to new conditions, eg. higher temperatures, sea-level rise, saline intrusions, subsiding water tables, more or less rainfall, less predictable seasons.

Adaptation to increased risks of disaster: Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

CBDRM project Binh Dinh:- Improve early warning systems - Training in participatory

disaster risk management planning.

- Commune disaster prevention, mitigation and emergency response master plans

.. is about helping communities reduce vulnerability to the increased risks posed by hazards like typhoons, droughts and sudden floods in the face of climate change.

Multiple benefit projects: Combining adaptation, DRR, mitigation and development goals.

Mangroves project Hau Loc Dist:– Storm protection– Sustainable livelihoods for poor

and landless people – High Carbon storage and other

environmental benefits– Community confidence and

management - Environmental and CC

awareness raising and education

NGO Climate Change Working Group (CCWG)

Coordinated NGO advocacy and capacity

building for responses that are environmentally and

economically sustainable and socially just.

The CCWG Goal:

Reducing the vulnerability of poor people in Vietnam to the impacts of CC through:

Coordinated NGO advocacy and capacity

building for responses that are environmentally and

economically sustainable and socially just.

The CCWG Goal:

Reducing the vulnerability of poor people in Vietnam to the impacts of CC through:

NGO CCWG: why?

• to learn about what others are doing in response to Climate change

• to access and share information

• to coordinate interaction with other actors

• to share contacts, resources, events, capacity

• to have a representative voice in policy making and other CC fora

1. Coordination among NGOs to maximize impact and minimize overlap

160 members from INGOs, VNGOs, research institutes, carbon investors and interested others – Regular meetings and events provide forums for

INGOs and Vietnamese NGOs to interact– CC activities are publicized with WB help. – Resources are shared through Web site and

mailing list: www.ngocentre.org.vn/node/5457– Information sharing, raising awareness through

meetings, events, links to mass media

CCWG Objectives and actions

2. Advocacy: Dialogue between NGOs and policy makers to coordinate views and action on climate change response and policy.

NGO joint statements in the donor/government dialogue meetings.

Coordinated comments and inputs to the NTP drafts with donors and government.

Participation and contributions in policy formulation, action planning and media workshops.

Design and facilitation of MARD OCCA action plan provincial consultation workshops.

Participation in civil society REDD meeting (Ghana) and climate justice conference (Bangkok).

Participation with mass media to raise awareness and increase capacity of journalists

CCWG Objectives and actions

NGO CCWG messages:

• Support to Community-based adaptation should start now

• User friendly information informed by science and local knowledge is needed at all levels.

• Civil society (community groups, mass organizations and NGOs) is able to mobilise large numbers of vulnerable people for adaptation and local level mitigation.

• Climate change mitigation options can be small scale, community-based and provide multiple benefits.

• Forest dependent populations should receive fair benefits from carbon financing.

• Capacity is needed for action at the sub-national level

CCWG Objectives and actions3. Capacity Building• help NGOs in Vietnam access CC information,

training activities and funding opportunities;• support NGO climate change activities and civil

society networking by:– Creating opportunities to share experiences in CC

and disaster relief– Assessing capacity needs– Training on basic impacts, community based

adaptation, REDD, carbon footprints

– Developing a communication strategy

Working together

• Climate change impacts are here now.

• Projections of worse to come are real.

Working together

• CC is not just about the environment. It is a serious and urgent food security issue, a water, health, social, economic and political stability issue ...

Working together

• Vietnam has a unique opportunity to lead the world.

• By sensible adjustments to its growth path, responding to climate change now, Vietnam can:

– protect its citizens against inevitable impacts; and

– build a sound 21st century economy based on low carbon technology and sustainable clean development

Thank you