Climate change is one of the most important and urgent environmental and Socioeconomic issues of our time. Interest on climate change and other issues related to climate change has grown significantly over the last few years, with the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) setting the global climate change agenda.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its recent Assessment Report has warned that droughts, floods, rise in sea levels and other extreme weather events and the resultant disasters will get worse in the near future, if urgent action is not taken to address climate change.   Changing weather patterns and increase in extreme weather events lead to land degradation, crop failure, water stress and food shortages, increase in tropical diseases and natural disasters and ultimately the severe disruption of lives and livelihoods. This is particularly true for the poor and vulnerable communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific.

Efforts to address climate change, particularly through adaptation and community resilience, are being undertaken by many stakeholders at all levels. However, in many countries, policies and strategies to address climate change are still at an early stage or have not effectively translated into action.

Impact Options recognizes the centrality of community resilience as well as robust national and local level policy framework in tackling climate change.