Climate
Our integrated approaches sustainably secure livelihoods as they support the restoration and conservation of functioning ecosystems, promote energy efficiency, and reduce the vulnerability of local communities to natural hazards.
Our projects focus on climate change adaptation and energy efficiency. We support changes in ecological, social and economic systems that allow poor and marginalized communities to adapt to changing climate and environmental conditions and to secure sustainable incomes and livelihoods. These communities are always at the center of our interventions.
Caritas Switzerland systematically integrates weather and climate data and vulnerability assessments including natural hazards into project design and implementation. Building a bridge between national weather agencies and rural communities ensures that urgently needed services (early warning, agronomic decision support) effectively reach the rural poor across the ‘last mile’.
Only a functioning integrated system of humans and the environment will thrive under changing climatic conditions. Caritas Switzerland therefore works holistically on adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction that are ecosystem-based. Successful approaches in our projects derive from agroecology and agroforestry. They enable communities to better manage their environment, e.g. within community forest management or rotational grazing systems. In collaboration with research partners, communities are supported with locally appropriate climate-resilient seeds.
Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy not only ease pressure on local natural resources and ecosystems, but at the same time improve livelihoods through better health and by reducing the burden of high energy expenses for households. Our projects include energy efficient stoves, solar powered groundwater pumps and energy efficient buildings.
In South Sudan, decades of armed conflict have resulted in great suffering of the civilian population, displacing thousands of people and resulting in increased humanitarian needs. Over 4.5 million people have been uprooted from their homes.
In South Sudan, decades of armed conflict have resulted in great suffering of the civilian population, displacing thousands of people and resulting in increased humanitarian needs. Over 4.5 million people have been uprooted from their homes.
The population in the mountain regions of Tajikistan is among the poorest and most vulnerable. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union and of the supply of gas and energy, a large proportion of the existing forests was cut down to meet the immediate need for fuel...
The population in the mountain regions of Tajikistan is among the poorest and most vulnerable. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union and of the supply of gas and energy, a large proportion of the existing forests was cut down to meet t...
The Sahel Zone is particularly hard affected by climatic changes. This leads to water shortages and threatens the food security of people working in agriculture, who form the majority of the population. With this project, Caritas is protecting the available water resources. We are creating incentives for small farmers to use water more efficiently,...
The Sahel Zone is particularly hard affected by climatic changes. This leads to water shortages and threatens the food security of people working in agriculture, who form the majority of the population. With this project, Caritas is protecting the av...
Download materials to Blue Schools on the website of the Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium
The following documents may be used and distributed subject to the condition that both the author ‘Caritas Switzerland’ as well as the name of the product, ‘CHAST’, are mentioned. In case of adaptations to the original product we kindly ask you to contact Caritas Switzerland for copyright clarification. In case of copyright infringements, which includes the removing of Caritas Switzerland’s logo from the manuals and the kit, we ask you to refrain from using the name ‘CHAST’ for circulation.
Caritas Switzerland is a member of the Swiss NGO DRR Platform, a network of Swiss-based NGOs, dedicated to increase the resilience of women and men, communities and governments, through an integrated approach to disaster risk reduction.
Swiss NGO DDR Platform: Website
Swiss Water & Sanitation Consortium
Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA)
Water Integrity Network (WIN)
Swiss Water Partnership (SWP)
Rural Water Supply Network
International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC)
