Climate and environment

Why climate change? Global efforts to reduce carbon emissions have fallen short, and the planet continues to warm. Climate change deepens poverty and inequality, hitting those who are already vulnerable, and those least responsible for global emissions, hardest.

Communities that rely on natural resources for their livelihoods struggle to grow food, while people with limited savings or insurance must rebuild from scratch after floods, storms and other disasters.

Concern supports people and communities to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. We deliver projects that combine immediate support with long-term resilience, integrating disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation into livelihoods, health, nutrition, WASH, and education programmes.

Through advocacy, we work with communities and partners to influence DRR and climate policy and hold decision makers accountable. Concern also promotes environmentally sustainable programme practices, linked to low carbon development, and is committed to reducing operational carbon emissions and embedding environmental considerations in our key processes.

Our climate work

We're committed to fighting the climate crisis

In 2025, over 880,000 programme participants across 18 countries increased their capacity to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to climate-related hazards.
In South Sudan, where Concern reached over 20,000 direct participants in livelihoods and food security programmes last year, we trained 62 women in Climate Smart Agricultural practices, adapting traditional farming methods to new realities and improving the quantity and quality of harvests.
We continue our multi-annual partnership with the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance which works with communities at risk from flooding across Bangladesh, Malawi, Kenya, and South Sudan.

Farmers tending to waterlogged land in Somalia

Residents of Beledweyne prepare for increased rain due to El Nino this season, with a 90% chance it will trigger severe flooding in the Horn of Africa. Photo: Abdikarim Mohamed/ICRC

Concern staff walking alongside canal in Kangalita, Kenya

The Kangalita Irrigation Scheme group have desilted the canal in the village, allowing a steady supply of water to run to their farms and land. Photo: Emma Kelly/Concern Worldwide

Fifteen year old Sharmin Akter eating guava

Fifteen year old Sharmin Akter is eating guava, which is a nutritious fruit. She often participates in group discussions in the yard meeting conducted by Concern Worldwide and its partner organisations to gain knowledge about healthy food, health and hygiene, gender, and social safety issues. Photo: Mohammad Rakibul Hasan/Concern Worldwide

Mcfreson Aaron with solar powered water pump

Mcfreson Aaron is a farmer in Mkulira village, Mwanza District. He uses the solar powered irrigation pump and other climate smart agricultural practices help him and his village. Photo: Chris Gagnon/Concern Worldwide

Mwanajuma Ghamaharo tends to her irrigated plot of mung beans in Makere village in Tana River County. Photo: Lisa Murray/Concern Worldwide

A closer look at our climate programmes

Climate change impacts are likely to play out disproportionately across countries, exacerbated by pre-existing inequalities. Those living in fragile and conflict-affected states are hit hardest because they are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of a hazard and have lower coping capacities and supports.

In addition, those hardest hits by the effects of climate change are often those least responsible for emissions.

Climate Adaptation

Concern integrates climate-sensitive programming and climate adaptation across its work to ensure interventions respond to current and projected climate risks. By analysing how changing climate patterns shape vulnerability over time, we adapt existing and new interventions to strengthen the adaptive capacity and resilience of vulnerable communities, local systems and the natural environment. Where climate risks are a significant driver of vulnerability, Concern implements targeted climate adaptation interventions that support long term resilience and locally led adaptation.

In 2025, across 18 countries, 881,148 programme participants strengthened their capacity to anticipate, absorb and adapt to climate related hazards.

In Sierra Leone, the Green Climate Fund Coastal Resilience programme established 24 Community Adaptation Committees, including sub-committees dedicated to WASH, livelihoods, mangrove stewardship and coastal protection. Awareness raising on mangrove conservation improved biodiversity and strengthened natural coastal defence against erosion and storm surges.

Disaster Risk Reduction

Nature-based Adaptations and Resilience Solutions