Mercy Corps DONATE Breadcrumb WHAT WE DO CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENT, AND ENERGY Climate, environment, and energy Manase and her husband grow teff, maize, and sorghum to support their seven children. During the dry season in Ale, Ethiopia, the rivers are low and Manase must dig through sand until she hits water. Climate change is a devastating force, leading to a hungrier and more vulnerable world. It destabilises economies, fuels conflict, cripples productivity, and weakens social structures. At Mercy Corps, we work with the people and communities who are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and those at the forefront of climate innovation, to find a sustainable way forward together. The most vulnerable people in the world are disproportionately exposed to extreme weather events, more reliant on natural resources, and least able to cope with, and adapt to, negative environmental impacts. When farmers suffer from drought, communities face devastating floods year after year, or entrepreneurs don’t have sustainable electricity to power their businesses, more complex crises arise. Addressing the underlying challenges of climate change, water security, natural resource management, and access to energy is critical to supporting people in fragile places to adapt their lives to new risks, while transforming communities and economies over time. That’s why we focus on climate solutions that deliver practical, meaningful change at the local level, then mobilise our global team to identify opportunities for scaling and replication worldwide. 4.9m people reached through our climate-related work last year 90% of all natural disasters between 1998-2017 were climate-related 860m people without access to reliable electricity 850m people without access to safe drinking water Mercy Corps acts as a connector between siloed forces for change, helping government at all levels create policies and plans, while uniting local communities, forward-thinking corporations, and social entrepreneurs to achieve more than each could do alone. And while the countries where we work are not the leading contributors to climate change, we are working to ensure that green growth is prioritised as these countries develop economically. Mercy Corps’ approach to low-carbon development is rooted in innovative, market-based energy programming that both reduces emissions and supports livelihoods. We’re doing this work with an eye on our own carbon footprint by starting to power field offices and operations with clean energy to conserve resources and reduce emissions. To learn more about our work, please visit our case study library or download our approach documents below: Climate & Disaster Resilience Energy Access Water Security & Productivity Climate Finance In partnership with NASA, we scale climate smart agriculture. Read more Related articles The role of venture capital in climate resilience Protecting the world from flood risk: Why we invested in Cloud to Street “We can do it by ourselves”: Women lead efforts to reduce flood risk See more articles Related research and resources Climate Fragility: Addressing Barriers to Practice Harnessing the Development Potential of Labor Migration One Year On: Paying for Darkness See more research and resources ABOUT US Our leadership Careers Financials Diversity, equity, and inclusion Ethics and policies Press HOW TO HELP Make a donation Give monthly Volunteer Fundraise Partner with us Include us in your will CONTACT US Facebook Twitter Instagram JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER Get updates about our work and discover how you can take action. Read our privacy statement for more information. SIGN UP Charity Watch Charity Navigator Charity No. SC030289 Privacy Policy Copyright © 2021 Mercy Corps Modern Slavery Statement