Climate Change and Humanitarian Responses: A Proposal of Education for Health Hazards Preparedness

Abstract

This contribution consists in an analysis of the recent developments and proposals for changes in humanitarian practices, in order to improve the responses, and in particular education and awareness-raising, to health hazards linked to climate change. The first part explores the existing global context, and the growing need for more sensitization and education to health hazards related to climate change among humanitarian workers and the populations in general. The position of the United Nations and of other specialized international organizations is explained, as well as the proposals recently made by the major humanitarian NGO networks, such as the ALNAP and the Sphere Project. The second part presents examples of health hazards linked to climate change, and the responses given in the field. This way, this intent is to compare the “by the book” recommendations, and the reality in the field. This section of text uses the methodology of the case study analysis, with a focus on climate change and health hazards situations in Bangladesh and in France (both in French Guiana and in metropolitan France). The cases studied, including a rather complete list of climate change caused problems (heatwaves, drought, cyclones and floods) and their consequences on health hazards. Such situations are contrasted and analysed, in order to underline the role that specific preventive and preparedness measures can have to improve the response to health hazards. The conclusions underline the relative lack of wide educational or awareness raising measures, and the need to dedicate more attention to this area, for both professionals and the population in general.