By Nilam Bedi
Rotary’s Environment Area of Focus offers a timely and critical bridge across all seven Areas of Focus. While designated as Rotary’s newest Area of Focus, the environment is not a siloed concern—it underpins every effort Rotary makes to build peace, improve health, provide education, and strengthen communities. Climate change, in particular, is not only an environmental issue; it is a growing threat multiplier that directly hinders progress across Rotary’s humanitarian goals. The intersection between climate change and Rotary’s mission is clear: if we want to succeed in our global service efforts, we must recognize and respond to the impacts of a changing climate across all Areas of Focus.
Governmental, business, industrial, and philanthropic sectors around the world are integrating climate considerations into their strategic planning. There is increasing evidence that climate change is negatively impacting societal outcomes in nearly every sector, including economic development, health, education, and water resources. Rotary’s own grants, club projects, and operations are not immune to these challenges.
This paper explores how climate change intersects with each of Rotary’s Areas of Focus and suggests ways to further integrate climate resilience into Global Grant guidelines and project strategies.
Environment
Rotary’s newest Area of Focus supports initiatives that conserve natural resources, enhance environmental sustainability, and promote harmony between people and nature. Climate change is central to this mission, whether through projects on biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, resource protection, or climate mitigation and adaptation.
While climate is a stated priority of this focus area, its effects ripple across all of Rotary’s work. As a result, ESRAG’s Climate Roadmap team is advocating for Rotary to embed climate awareness and solutions across every Area of Focus—not just the environmental one.
Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution
Rotary promotes peace by addressing the root causes of conflict. Climate change contributes to instability through resource scarcity, extreme weather, and population displacement. According to the World Economic Forum, 27 countries—home to over 768 million people—are both highly vulnerable to ecological threats and susceptible to conflict.
Examples:
- Somalia: Drought and flash flooding have displaced over 500,000 people.
- Democratic Republic of Congo: Food insecurity, flooding, and disease outbreaks deepen conflict cycles.
Disease Prevention and Treatment
Rotary’s health efforts now face added challenges from climate change. Warmer temperatures and changing rainfall patterns increase the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. Rising temperatures and extreme events also strain health infrastructure and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.
Notable projections:
- WHO anticipates an additional 250,000 climate-related deaths in Africa by 2030.
- The Lancet forecasts a 10–30% increase in malaria risk in Latin America by 2050.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
Rotary has long supported WASH programs, but climate change intensifies water scarcity and contamination risks. Rising temperatures and droughts reduce freshwater availability, while floods from extreme rainfall pollute water sources.
Examples:
- IPCC projects that 75–250 million people in Africa will face increased water stress due to climate change.
- UN forecasts 250 million people in Africa may face climate-induced water scarcity by 2030.
Maternal and Child Health
Climate change places a disproportionate burden on women and children. It increases food insecurity, disease exposure, and access barriers to health care.
Findings:
- Save the Children: 710 million children live in the 45 countries most at risk from climate change.
- UNICEF: Nearly 1 billion children face “extremely high risk” from climate-related impacts.
- WHO: Children born in 2020 will experience up to seven times more extreme weather events than those born in 1960.
Basic Education and Literacy
Climate disruptions—such as floods, droughts, and displacement—directly affect children’s access to education. Financial strain from climate-related disasters can force children out of school. Nutrition challenges further affect learning outcomes.
Teaching climate literacy in schools can empower the next generation with the knowledge and tools to be climate-resilient leaders.
Economic and Community Development
Climate change threatens livelihoods, displaces workers, and increases poverty—especially in climate-vulnerable regions.
Key insights:
- The World Economic Forum estimates that climate change could displace 200 million people within their countries.
- Up to 100 million people in Asia could fall into poverty by 2030 due to climate-related impacts.
- Rotary Global Grants already recognize this connection, funding renewable energy, natural resource conservation, and community resilience-building.
Conclusion
Climate change is not a distant threat; it is already shaping the effectiveness of Rotary’s work across every Area of Focus. Recognizing the interdependence of these issues is critical. As Rotarians, we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to respond with solutions that strengthen resilience, protect vulnerable populations, and integrate climate action into all service projects.
By embedding climate considerations into the fabric of every Rotary initiative, we ensure a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all.
