How Mercy Corps is Addressing Climate Change

Climate change threatens agricultural production - and food security - for farmers around the world, leading to food crises and conflict. Photo: Thatcher Cook for Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is preparing for climate change impacts in its global operations in over 32 countries. The agency accepts the Stern Report findings that climate change threatens the life support systems for all people on our planet by disrupting water access, food production and health.

Climate change will increase poverty and conflict in the countries and communities where Mercy Corps works. It is critical to address this paramount challenge on an immediate and ongoing basis in everything we do.

The agency is taking steps to prepare for the impacts of climate change by strengthening and expanding environmental programs, all of which will be impacted by climate change. These include agroforestry, ecotourism, environmental governance and natural resource management.

Mercy Corps also seeks to set an example in being climate responsible: the agency in assessing its carbon footprint to become carbon neutral. It is also designing a green building for its American headquarters, which will include an educational center focusing on issues including Mercy Corps' mission and how it is impacted by climate change.

New partnerships are being forged with universities and researchers to develop a methodology for producing actionable information from climate change data. This information will be integrated with conflict analysis and mitigation tools to predict conflict trends and develop recommended mitigation policies.