Our goal
Our Anglican partners are equipped to respond to disaster and climate change, and are implementing effective disaster risk reduction strategies.
Poor communities are vulnerable to disasters and the impact of changing climates, particularly in the Pacific. We work closely with experienced church-based partners who have significant capacity and resources, to leverage the momentum to benefit communities in the Pacific, better equip
our Anglican partners, and address the challenges of climate change.
“Churches respond to disasters before, during and long after. They offer not only spiritual comfort and solidarity, but also sustainability and accountability … Churches respond spontaneously, quickly and instinctively. There is much that can be done to prepare for and mitigate the impact of
[disasters]. There are specific opportunities for churches to build on their experiences and formalize good practices.”– Episcopal Relief and Development
What we are doing
With the reality of a changing climate, disasters are becoming a more common occurrence, and it is the poor people of the world who are inevitably impacted the most.
Currently we are responding through our partners to emergencies in East Africa, Syria and Vanuatu.
We operate a Rapid Response Emergency Fund which allows us to respond immediately when disasters strike around the world. Any donations to the Fund will either be sent directly to our partners if we work in the affected area or we will join with the ACT Alliance or CAN DO, using their networks to provide basic necessities such as food, safe drinking water, shelter, and good hygiene practice.
Get the Facts
- Global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased by over 50% since 1990.
- Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes).
- Fish catches in some areas of the tropics are projected to fall by between 40% and 60% due to climate change.
- As a result of climate change causing food insecurity, changes in temperature and rainfall patterns could lead to food price rises of between 3% and 84% by 2050.
- About 3.5 million people, mainly women and children, die each year from respiratory illness due to harmful indoor air pollution from wood and biomass cookstoves.
Where we are doing it
Since early 2017, East Africa has been facing a famine which has the potential to affect up to 20 million people.
Triggered by a combination of drought, conflict and a lack of humanitarian access, communities have been uprooted and forced to flee in search of safety and food.
We first launched this appeal in 2017 to help the millions suffering in Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia, and have been responding since.
Find out more about what we are doing in East Africa through our East Africa Food Crisis Appeal.
For over a year the population of Ambae has suffered from the effects of volcanic activity, including acid rain, contaminated water, poisonous gases and falling ash. However, in September, the ash became so severe that the sun was blocked out completely, blanketing everything and prompting a full and compulsory evacuation.
By the end of 2018 the state of emergency had ended, however the evacuated people were left in limbo, as they consider whether to return home or try settle elsewhere.
The displaced people of Ambae are still facing uncertainty about the future – even if they return, they will need to salvage what is left of their livelihoods, homes and animals, all left behind on the island that has been subject to ash and volcanic contamination.
Find out more about how we are working with communities from Ambae by clicking here and here.
The civil war raging in Syria, now in its eighth year, has caused one of the largest humanitarian crises the world has ever known, and the UN says that the response is the largest humanitarian operation in history.
Over half of the Syrian population of 22 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes, with many of these people displaced more than once.
Daily more people are having to flee from the conflict. Now more than 6.6 million people are now displaced within the Syrian war zone and more than 5 million refugees are hosted by nearby countries, namely Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Eqypt and Iraq. UNHCR estimates that 13.1 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance inside Syria. Additionally there are 12.8 million who require health assistance, but 3 million are living in hard-to-reach or besieged areas and are exposed to serious health threats.
Find out what our partner, International Orthodox Christian Charities, is doing in Syria.