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- Agency measures own carbon footprint and commits to becoming carbon neutral

- Aid group's disaster relief and development strategies ensure strong local participation in addressing growing impact of climate change

The global humanitarian agency Mercy Corps today announced the launch of its "Community Climate Initiative" to help vulnerable populations around the world deal with the effects of global warming. The initiative will include a range of projects to boost communities' efforts to mitigate and adapt to the increasing severity and frequency of floods, droughts, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

The recent number and intensity of natural disasters worldwide has grabbed the attention of relief and development groups. Mercy Corps staff say the stakes are high as decades of development work could quickly be undone by emerging climate-related problems.

"Climate change has become the most serious threat to communities where we work, and we believe that we have an humanitarian imperative to address this problem," notes Mercy Corps Director of Climate Change, Environment and Natural Resources Jim Jarvie. "Climate change is a 24/7 natural disaster and Mercy Corps is adjusting our programs and initiating efforts to help communities prepare and adapt."

A key component of the Climate Initiative is assessing the impact of climate change in global communities where Mercy Corps works. The agency has partnered with the University of Edinburgh to identify ways vulnerable populations can adapt to climate change and how Mercy Corps can help with those efforts. Countries under study include Niger, Ethiopia, Mongolia, Columbia, Indonesia, and Afghanistan, among others. A report is due out late fall.

Mercy Corps has also placed a priority on mitigating its own impact on the environment by measuring its carbon footprint and committing to becoming carbon neutral. The agency recently issued its footprint study along with a list of the top 10 steps staff can take to reduce carbon usage. The carbon footprint study was conducted in the UK by the Edinburgh Center for Carbon Management, which measured on-site energy consumption, owned vehicles, travel, office deliveries, and waste disposal in all of Mercy Corps field offices and international headquarters.

Another element of the Community Climate Initiative is a disaster risk reduction strategy for communities that are most vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods and droughts. Mercy Corps' Global Emergency Operations unit began these efforts in 2006, following the "year of disasters" that included Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami.

More information on climate change and development is available at www.mercycorps.org/topics/environment.

Mercy Corps works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic poverty and instability to unleash the potential of people who can win against nearly impossible odds. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided $1.3 billion in assistance to people in 100 nations. Supported by headquarters offices in North America, Europe and Asia, the agency's unified global programs employ 3,400 staff worldwide and reach nearly 14.4 million people in more than 35 countries. For more information, visit www.mercycorps.org