Climate Centre Newsletter

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Scholars for Humanitarian Work, 2010

Interns recruited by the RC/RC Climate Centre are supporting staff in a number of IFRC zonal offices to utilize climate information and help interpret forecasts across timescales. The skill that the interns bring with them is a great asset to the RC/RC Movement, like curriculum development and working with volunteers. Most students are working over a two-month period to help bridge the gap between climate science providers and ‘users’ of climate information in the humanitarian community. Their work involves specific consultation with the Red Cross Red Crescent, as well as other humanitarian actors and climate service providers. In previous years, interns have played a constructive role in building bridges between providers of forecast information and the humanitarian sector. In our brochure called “The Access and Use of Climate and Weather Information in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: Initial observations from the field” we have listed the findings of previous interns.

This year the Climate Centre selected five students from the Climate and Society Master’s program at Columbia University in the US to do climate risk management-related internships in Red Cross/Red Crescent offices from June-August. Prior to the students’ departure, the Climate Centre held a special two-day internship orientation for the students, to familiarize them with the International Federation, and provide a forum for discussion on individual projects with advisors from the Climate Centre and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) .

The students are now in the field: In the Middle East and Northern Africa zone, Frank Sousa is supporting work on the Preparedness for Climate Change Programme (PfCC2) and helping to establish links with regional knowledge centers. In East Asia, Amy Stypa is also supporting the PfCC2 programme, and working with disaster managers at the Mongolia Red Cross to help integrate knowledge of climate change risks into disaster risk reduction activities. In Southeast Asia, Krista Jankowski is planning a field school experience, to integrate awareness of climate risks into community efforts to identify vulnerabilities and build capacities. Krista is also working with the Climate Centre to design an online curriculum to communicate climate change and its potential impact on Red Cross/Red Crescent work. Scott Wood is collaborating with both the Tanzania Meteorological Agency and the IRI to improve forecasting products for the Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS). Scott is also helping the TRCS use early warning information to take preventative action against climate-sensitive diseases. Finally, Michelle Cordray brings her video production background to the Uganda Red Cross Society, where she is producing short films on climate risks in Uganda. Best wishes to these Scholars for Humanitarian Work, we look forward to reporting on outcomes soon from this collaborative effort between the International Federation, the IRI, and the Climate Centre.

British Kings College students in the ‘Disasters, Adaptation and Development’ masters programme are also currently assisting the Red Cross Red Crescent during the northern hemisphere summer. Emma Lovell is currently working with the SE Asia region on preparations for climate change workshops planned for later in the year. Thomas Moat is doing a dissertation on communication of climate change within the Red Cross Red Crescent as well as assisting with development of resources to be made available on line in coming months. Trevor Payne and Amy Kirbyshire are currently assisting the Caribbean region with the Preparedness for Climate Change programme through collecting and interpreting available information in partnership with the National Societies and regional IFRC office.

There is also an intern from the Mailman School of Public health of Columbia University in the US working with the IFRC. Bryan Moy is based with the IFRC in Jakarta and supports PMI (Indonesian Red Cross) in the development of the baseline surveys on dengue and climate change for communities in Jakarta as part of the Rockefeller Funded program on climate change and health. The results of these surveys will then inform the development of Information, Education and Communication materials on dengue and climate. The same work on dengue is taking place with the Vietnamese Red Cross with the help of local academics.

In addition, we briefly list the following students:
Fifteen students from the Parsons School for Design (formulating innovative solutions for humanitarian work, from web tools to games for learning)
Four students from Boston University Department of Geography (examining links between observed disasters and the science-based forecasts that preceded them)
Two students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management (using dynamic systems analysis to link forecasts with humanitarian decisions)
Two students from Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (supporting Red Cross risk management in Latin America)
Two students from the Brandeis University Heller School (one in Tanzania supporting IFRC-East Africa communications, the other doing desk study on mapping disasters)
A student from University of Iceland program in Environment and Natural Resources (researching vulnerability and shelter operations in Senegal)
Thanks to all for their hard work!

http://www.climatecentre.org/site/news/240/newsletter-issue-16#10