COP21 – Brainstorming Disaster Relief Solutions

National Headquarters | December 9, 2016

Tzu Chi Foundation hosted a workshop at COP21 in Paris, France, on December 5th, 2015.

“Defying Disasters: A Tricontinental South-South Dialogue For Climate Change Solutions” addressed the topic of climate change and disaster relief. The workshop provided the opportunity for an interfaith and intercultural discussion about the urgent need for decarbonization to defy disasters.

Featured Speakers:

Debra Boudreaux (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Nasir Khattak (Climate Institute)
Dr. Albert Binger (SIDS DOCK)
Jan Hartke (Clinton Climate Initiative)
H.E. Ronny Juneau (Seychelles Ambassador At Large for Climate Change)

Ali Mohamed (Special Secretary & Advisor of Climate Change to the Executive Office of the Presidency of Kenya)
Francois Baird (Fredericksburg SPCA)
Manuel Vicente Duque (Mayor of Cartagena, Colombia)
Dr. Chi-Ming Peng (WeatherRisk Explore Inc.)
Dr. Kandeh Yumkella (former United Nations Under-Secretary-General)

Dr. Yumkella stressed the importance of faith based organizations to lead in fostering personal behavioral change to help push climate action forward.

Tzu Chi shared its disaster relief expertise, pointing out that an action plan must include: relief goods distribution, free clinics, temporary shelters, permanent housing, and job programs.

We introduced new technology developed by Tzu Chi for disaster relief, such as our multipurpose foldable bed.

We also highlighted how to protect the world’s health, we need to manage disaster vulnerability; pay attention to hygiene and access to clean water and nutrition; and strengthen our surveillance and response capacity to climate sensitive diseases.

The sharing of lessons learned by experts must continue. We have to work together if we want to most effectively help those affected by disasters due to climate change.