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CARE, ACF, and Emory specialists to discuss Climate Change and Humanitarian Aid as part of France-Atlanta partnership

"Climate change and humanitarian aid : local and global stakes in COP21"

Hosted by FRANCE-Atlanta in partnership with Emory University and the Center for Health & Humanitarian Systems at Georgia Tech

Climate change is an aggravating factor of humanitarian crises that poses significant challenges for government and non-government humanitarian actors alike. In 2014, 87% of recorded disasters were climate-related.

On Wednesday, October 28th, Emory University will host a panel discussion uniting international non-government organization (NGO) workers, humanitarian experts, and climate change policy specialists to discuss sustainable approaches to empowering the world’s most vulnerable populations on the front lines of climate change. The panel will examine case studies and risk analyses, drawing out key lessons and principles. Panleists will also address the major stakes of climate change for the humanitarian community and how their respective organizations are advocating for policies that help prevent climate-induced humanitarian crises and save lives.

When: Wednesday, October 28th, 3:30-6:45PM (*Registration required)

Where: 
Emory University Mathematics and Sciences Center – Room E208 (400 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332

Panelists:

  • Pascal Debons, Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Resilience advisor at Action Against Hunger (ACF) USA
  • Francois Grunewald, chair of Urgence-Rehabilitation-Developpement (Groupe URD) and associate professor at Paris XII University
  • Dorcas Robinson, Climate change resources and partnerships coordinator at CARE International
  • Daniel Rochberg, instructor in environmental sciences in Emory College and environmental health at Rollins School of Public Health, 
  • Carla Roncali, associate director of Emory’s Master's in Development Practice, Department of Anthropology senior research scientist, and adjunct faculty in the Department of Environmental Sciences 
  • Moderator: Beril Toktay, Faculty Director at the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business and Professor at the Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech

CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Women are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve basic education, prevent the spread of HIV, increase access to clean water and sanitation, expand economic opportunity and protect natural resources. In 2010, CARE created the Poverty Environment and Climate Change Network (PECCN) to support country offices to develop people-centered climate change programming that can be shared and replicated at national and global levels. Delivering practical, sustainable solutions with key stakeholders, they focus both on community-based adaptation and global advocacy.

Action Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger) has expertise in emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity, carrying out programs in nutrition, food security and livelihoods, and water, sanitation, and hygiene in more than 40 countries. In regards to climate change, they are particularly focused on the impact of climate shocks on communities. Their adaptation approach is village-based, involving action planning with local communities and reinforcing local capacity. On the COP21 front, their participation is primarily on food security and ground testimonies. Groupe U.R.D. , a French humanitarian think tank, provides strategic advice to operational and policyoriented organizations, particularly in regards to French and European policy. They do research, evaluation support and training, and their field of research includes risk analysis and resilience in relation to climate change. They have conducted studies in Haiti and Bangladesh, particularly as climate change relates to natural disasters.

Climate@Emory is an inter-disciplinary, university-wide initiative to advance climate change scholarship, teaching, partnership, and engagement at Emory University and beyond. Drawing on the expertise of more than 50 faculty and staff from over 20 departments, Climate@Emory is committed to fostering broad and deep collaboration within the university, with other academic institutions, with industry and community partners in Atlanta and elsewhere, with government at all levels, across the region, and around the world

The Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business at the Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech acts as a catalyst and connector, bringing together students, research faculty, companies, and entrepreneurs to create an environment where business-driven solutions to sustainability challenges can take shape and thrive. Since its founding, The Center has been particularly active in developing coursework in business sustainability for students at all levels—undergraduates, MBAs, doctoral students, and executives. Students further benefit from access to Scheller's Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ILE) and the Cecil B. Day Program in Ethics. In all, Scheller provides students unparalleled breadth in environmental sustainability, ethics, corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, and values-based leadership.

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