Climate change affects all life on Earth, but it is increasingly evident that the effects will not be felt equally across all countries and communities. The injustice of this inequity is exacerbated by the fact that the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change are precisely those contributing the least to causing this catastrophe, as their greenhouse gas emissions are the lowest.

CRS Response and Guiding Principles

As the official international humanitarian and development agency of the Catholic community in the United States, Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) mission is to help those communities least able to help themselves to adapt to the effects of a changing climate and strengthen their resilience. CRS programs are informed by the Integral Human Development model, which is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, including the following principles:

1. Work as local as possible
2. Lift up the poorest and most vulnerable
3. Talke a holistic, people-centered approach
4. Collaborate and partner

Strategic Priorities and Cross Sectoral Approaches 

In 2019, CRS launched a new strategic plan, Vision 2030: In Their Own Hands, to spark transformational change in areas that will yield the greatest benefit for the world’s most vulnerable people. Our plan outlines a strategy for combatting the effects of climate change by focusing on agriculture, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response. At CRS, we will continue to support communities around the world that are suffering from the devastating impact of climate change, focusing our work in the following areas:

Priorities

• Agriculture, Livelihoods and Landscape Restoration
• Disaster Risk Reduction
• Water Security and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
• Urban Resilience

Cross Sectoral Approaches

• Private Sector Engagement
• Accessing Private and Public Climate Finance
• Justice and Peacebuilding
• Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns

Make a Difference

CRS and its partners are currently implementing 43 projects to strengthen climate resilience and reduce vulnerabilities in the following regions: Asia, South Africa, West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Middle-East. A detailed breakdown by region follows.

Now is the time for the global community to join forces and take bold action to address climate change

For more information, please contact Gina.Castillo@crs.org.

Published August 2022