Mohammed Omer Mukhier

COP18: Global south communities increasingly at risk of disease

COP18 (06/12/2012) – Mohammed Omer Mukhier, Head of Community Preparedness and Risk Reduction Department at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies describes his organisation’s concern in examining small and medium disasters with the eroded capacity of local communities, changing patterns of disease and the issue of hunger as a result of climate change.

For example, he describes how they have seen increased instances of cholera in relation to more floods and how areas further north and of higher altitude are now being affected by malaria.

He calls for more media coverage on not just disasters like the typhoon in the Philippines, but on the vulnerability and risk of local communities, and on longer term underlying causes.

He explains that his organisation has brought a 48 member delegation to COP18, with delegates from across the world  including negotiators and young people. He describes his organisation’s work with national governments and civil society to push for the positive outcomes of no gap being left in the Kyoto Protocol, predictable financing commitments and increased capacity building programmes for local communities to better handle risk.