How can we reduce the impacts of climate change?

Embracing adaptation in the face of climate change can give us hope for a resilient future.

The effects of the climate crisis are already felt by 3.6 billion people who live in areas highly susceptible to the physical effects of climate change. From coastal to landlocked territories on the front line worldwide, human ingenuity gives us the capacity to build increased resilience. We can do this through prevention and adaptation measures that will carry us through what we are already experiencing and what will come.

At the Z Zurich Foundation (the Foundation) and alongside members of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance, we see resilience as a holistic shield, built from five key ingredients, or “capitals" (the 5Cs): human, social, physical, natural, and financial. The 5Cs provide greater richness of data about a community’s sources of resilience than any single metric such as average income.

Human: Empowering individuals through knowledge and skills

People are the heart of any resilient community. By investing in capacity building and education, we equip individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to adapt to climate change.

Workshops on sustainable practices, disaster preparedness, and natural resource management empower people to make informed decisions and act in the face of climate challenges.

In Jonuta, in the Mexican state of Tabasco, people have come together to share expertise and support in community brigades alongside the Mexican Red Cross. The area is prone to flooding as it is dominated by the Usumacinta and Grijalva rivers, which join to form one of the world’s largest river systems. Tabasco’s high average rainfall, which is three times higher than Mexico’s, accounts for almost 40% of the country’s freshwater, and can cause flash flooding.?

The community brigades participate in the entire disaster risk management cycle, learning how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from floods. This hands-on experience, learning from the past to prepare for the future, fosters understanding and builds confidence, transforming vulnerability into preparedness.

Social: Together we are stronger

Community brigades and other collaborative efforts can only work if there are strong social networks in place, creating community bonds that promote cooperation. This facilitates greater access to, and exchange of, ideas and resources. Collaboration brings together people to participate in the planning and decision-making process where they can identify risks, prioritize actions and develop localized adaptation plans.

In many parts of the world women are a vital community often left out of important conversations when it comes to climate resilience or ignored when they do speak up. That is why we are working to raise up women’s voices to strengthen flood resilience in places like Tana River County, Kenya, in partnership with Concern Worldwide.

Women and children often raise different, but no less important, points about water-related issues to men, often relating to personal safety and security. By including their perspectives and experiences in planning processes, this ensures adaptation strategies are inclusive and effective for all.

Children – and especially girls – are often disproportionately impacted by floods and other natural hazards. During and after a flood, schools are often used as shelters, interrupting education for considerable periods of time. Female children may be forced to give up their education altogether as even when schools re-open they are required to support the family’s recovery.

That is why Plan International puts children – and girls in particular – at the center of its work in El Salvador, advancing children’s rights through activities such as the establishment of school protection committees and awareness raising campaigns, and is working on a study analyzing the impacts caused by flooding and climate change on girls.

Physical: Early warning for timely action

Physical capital refers to the infrastructure, equipment and other systems, such as improvement in crops, that support communities. Being prepared is key to resilience and early warning systems fulfil this need Forewarned is forearmed.

Imagine an incoming weather system bringing torrential rain that could cause flash flooding and mudslides. Early warning systems provide communities with timely alerts and information about impending climate risks. This gives them vital lead time to prepare for impending threats and minimize damage.

In the Rimac watershed region of Peru, communities are using ingeniously designed monitoring stations to track rainfall and predict floods with support from Practical Action. Developed in collaboration with local universities, the systems are solar-powered and use open-source data to provide warnings in real time through mobile technology, safeguarding lives and livelihoods. It is a solution being scaled up at the local, regional and national government levels. The communities manage the systems themselves, which fosters ownership and sustainability as they’re independent from outside maintenance contractors.

Natural: Nature-based solutions to enhance resilience

Nature itself can be a powerful ally in adapting to climate change. Natural capital resides in the resources within ecosystems, land productivity and the related services that sustain livelihoods. By investing in nature-based solutions, such as restoring wetlands, reforesting degraded lands and creating urban green spaces, we can enhance ecosystem resilience and create natural buffers against climate impacts.

Monsoons bring flooding. Bio-dykes, like those built in Nepal along the Karnali River, are living barriers and offer an environmentally friendly flood-defense alternative to concrete barriers. Practical Action has worked with the local communities along the river to strategically plant trees and other vegetation. This binds the soil and helps prevent erosion, maintaining the original flow of the river at the same time as buffering against overflow during heavy rainfall.

Their success can be seen in villages like Bangalipur, where erosion has been halted and flooding greatly reduced, giving a much-needed sense of safety to community members.

Financial: Diversifying livelihoods for economic stability

Diversifying financial resources and livelihoods spreads risk. It means that communities don’t invest too much in one industry. This reduces dependence on climate-sensitive sectors, such as farming and promotes sustainable alternatives to build more resilient economies that are less prone to climate shocks.

At the Foundation, we support initiatives that promote livelihood diversification. That is how we have helped Practical Action support people like Gita, who owns her own restaurant in western Nepal. As farming is prone to flooding it can make sense for some people to move into related careers, such as cooking. This can help them earn more, allowing them the opportunity to invest in climate defenses or rebuild and save for the future.

Over the past decade, together with the Alliance and Zurich, we have developed this approach, and a measurement tool to help us evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the five capitals. By analyzing the situation, we help affected communities to design innovative solutions. The measurement of the strength of capitals can be tracked over time, which gives a strong indication of whether a community will be more resilient to future hazard events, such as floods.

By strengthening these interconnected systems, we can empower individuals and communities to face climate change head-on, adapting and thriving in an ever-shifting landscape.

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