Strengthening community resilience and adaptation to climate change.

Changing climates are already affecting livelihoods, water supplies, food and human security, biodiversity and ecosystem services, and national and global economies - much of society as we know it.

Current and future impacts of climate change are global and are likely to affect poor and vulnerable communities most of all. These members of society are often heavily dependent on natural resources and are therefore most sensitive to the climate induced declines in the availability, quality and quantity of specific resources.

The escalating frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and subsequent disasters has brought about a new awareness on the risks associated with climate change. Climate change has also become one of the main factors of both sudden and gradual environmental change, and is increasing the risk and rate of environmental migration and displacement.

Climate change adaptation is a cross-cutting theme in all of ProAct's work. We focus in particular on the following:

• community-based adaptation;
• livelihood resilience;
• knowledge sharing; and
• capacity building.

Our activities promote sound environmental management and restoration, the adaptive use of traditional knowledge on coping strategies, synergies between climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and win-win approaches that bring multiple benefits to local communities, reducing risk and strengthening their resilience.

ProAct also provides institutional support and guidance for field practitioners in humanitarian and relief operations, so that their work too responds to the changing environment, helping ensure more appropriate and sustainable interventions.