Case Study: Anticipatory Action to teduce the impact of extreme weather events on Health

This case study profiles the unique and pioneering approach of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in preparing for and mitigating the health threats of climate change through anticipatory action. The IFRC links locally led humanitarian action with regional- and global-scale responses and surge support through forecast-based financing from the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).

The successful implementation of the anticipatory action approach requires that triggers be contextual and take local factors into account and that they are embedded in a country’s existing disaster risk management system. The approach relies on sufficient local capacity to produce impact-based forecasts and act on risk information. Additionally, the national systems lean on regional support to anticipate and mitigate impacts from cross-border and regionally shared hazards. National coordination of disaster risk management mechanisms should be mirrored at the regional and global levels.