International Medical Corps has launched a Climate Change Innovation Fund to accelerate learning and practice around programmatic responses to the impacts of climate change.

The Fund aims to improve knowledge and practice in:

• advancing local knowledge and approaches;
• developing scalable, climate-ready solutions that address the health impacts of climate change, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected states; and
• climate-proofing existing humanitarian programming.

The Fund will support projects that:

• address specific climate-related threats to health based on effective risk assessment;
• demonstrate a positive impact for crisis-affected people;
• pilot new and innovative approaches or technologies that are cost-effective;
• support existing healthcare systems and the communities they serve by building and transferring the knowledge and skills they will need to be fit for the challenge of climate change;
• demonstrate a clear learning agenda.

Projects supported by the Fund will be implemented by International Medical Corps and local partners in close collaboration with local authorities, community members and humanitarian agencies.

International Medical Corps will produce evidence-based analyses of these projects to share with local and global communities of practice-enhancing lessons learned in climate-proofing and climate-adaptive humanitarian programming.

International Medical Corps has launched the Climate Change Innovation Fund, starting with pilot programs in Mali and Zimbabwe.

In Mali, projects focus on emergency preparedness planning with the Ministry of Health to ensure continued healthcare provision during adverse climate events; and on developing community awareness on climate threats and actions that can be taken in event of flooding or heatwave.

In Zimbabwe, projects focus on the development of low water-use gardens to improve nutrition while simultaneously developing capacities in low water-use horticulture in an area that is increasingly affected by water shortages. The project is community led with technical design and implementation expertise from the Ministry of Agriculture and International Medical Corps.

International Medical Corps invites contributions to the Climate Change Innovation Fund from public and private donors.

This Fund supports the aims of the Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace by:

• Making financial investments in climate adaptation and resilience programmes;
• Providing capacity-building for affected governments and communities, which contributes to their ability to access, absorb and utilize funds;
• Supporting granular and integrated risk assessments and risk mapping; and
• Developing knowledge on good practices of risk mitigation, management and lessons learned on working more effectively in crisis settings… in partnership with local communities.

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