A photograph of a large deep green grassy field, and blue cloudy skies above.

Climate Change

Human beings rely on the natural environment for life, health and security. When climate change devastates that environment, we suffer on every level. And no one pays a higher price than those who’ve done the least to cause this global problem – the poor.

Core Project Model

Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration
Change

In Ethiopia, households adopting climate-smart agricultural practices increased from

3% to 69%Jarso | 2016-2022
Change

In Mongolia, caregivers who had been affected by disaster but were able to maintain their standard of living increased from

46% to 55%Khan Uul | 2013-2021
Progress

26,618community members, including children, were trained in disaster risk reduction strategies

Progress

12,507people applied sustainable agricultural practices, including farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR) approach to restore and improve pasture, forest and agricultural land

Progress

488groups have a disaster preparedness strategy in place to support institutions and full communities to be more prepared in case of emergencies

Connected Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goal 13 logo: Climate actionSustainable Development Goal 15 logo: Life on land

Videos

Two young girls smile at each other as they stand in a grass field with a bicycle.

Challenges and Approach

Climate change is already threatening development work around the world and will continue to do so in the coming years. To serve struggling children and their communities faithfully, World Vision must take this link between climate change and sustainable development seriously.
How does climate change make life more difficult for people living in poverty?
  • Climate change and poverty are interconnected. The environment is the world's largest employer in developing countries. Most of the world's families build their livelihoods on some aspect of the natural environment.
  • Climate change is causing anomalies in weather patterns. Droughts that used to happen once every 10-20 years are now happening every two or three years. Severe storms, extreme heat events, or prolonged dry spells can wipe out entire crops. This leaves families unable to provide enough nutritious food for their children and without an income.
  • Climate change is also causing an increase in natural disasters and very extreme weather. The poor are the most vulnerable — and least able to recover. Natural disasters like typhoons can take a terrible toll on lives, destroying property and forcing families to abandon their homes and fields.
  • Climate change can make clean water even harder to find. Sources of fresh, clean water are drying up. This can leave children and families with no choice but to drink dirty water, putting them at risk of water-borne diseases. It can force them to walk even longer distances, to find water to drink, cook with, wash with or irrigate their plants.
  • Lastly, climate change can increase the risk of disease. Increasing temperatures make tropical diseases welcome in new areas, places where the population is less immune or prepared. And, less water for sanitation and hand-washing can contribute to the spread of illness.
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What is World Vision doing to meet these challenges?

World Vision recognizes the link between climate change and sustainable development. We work with communities to restore environments that have been harmed, protect healthy environments and systematically build good environments to make them progressively stronger and healthier.


Some of our projects include environmentally restorative activities such as reforestation, agro-forestry and organic and conservation farming. We aim to help communities that rely on farming for food and income to learn improved and environmentally sustainable farming techniques.


Here are a few examples:

  • We have seen great success in reforesting in parts of Africa using the technique of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration, re-growing trees from root stumps of indigenous trees that were cut down in the past.
  • Several communities in Ethiopia have benefited from a cleaner, safer way to cook their food as a part of a clean stoves project. As well as reducing the health impacts associated with smoky, open fire stoves, the clean stoves can help reduce the number of trees cut down for firewood.
  • We also work with communities to improve their resilience, including disaster preparedness and risk reduction education, and improving food and water security.
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The long-term impact on developing countries
  • The effects of climate change are expected to become greater over time without urgent action at a global, national and local level.

  • People living in the poorest countries contributed little to these problems but are disproportionately affected by their negative consequences. Among them, children, women, and people with disabilities are the most vulnerable and the least equipped to adapt to a changing climate.

  • Working to halt climate change can be expensive, and inconvenient. But, the impact of doing nothing would be devastating for all of us. It's already devastating for millions of the world's poorest children.

  • World bodies, governments, corporations, and individuals must do whatever we can to protect children and families around the world from the ever-worsening outcomes of climate change.

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Stories

A mother wraps an arm around her daughter, looking down with a dismayed expression as her daughter gazes toward the horizon.

“Climate refugees” – more accurately called “climate migrants” – all have something in common: they are fleeing the cruel impact of extreme climate events like droughts, floods and storms.

Read more(link opens in new tab/window)
A crowd of mothers wait in line at a food distribution.

Global hunger is surging towards catastrophe in an unprecedented way, with the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, climate change and instability causing new hunger hotspots to pop up across the globe.

Read more(link opens in new tab/window)
A young girl smiles at the camera with a hoe propped over her shoulder.

Meet four inspiring climate youth activists who are making a difference in their own communities.

Read more(link opens in new tab/window)
Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.