ISLAMABAD May 8: About 40 national societies under the Red Cross and Red Crescent umbrella had decided to engage themselves in capacity-building programmes aimed at understanding and addressing the impact of climate change on humanity.

Speaking at a function to mark the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, at the PRCS National Headquarters here on Thursday, Saeed Ahmad Qureshi, chairman Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), said that the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movements were engaged in addressing consequences of environmental challenges, particularly climate change. The basic principles and global agenda of these movements contained provisions for the protection of the environment.

He said the theme of the day this year was “Together for Humanity” and we would use this theme to highlight the importance of Red Cross/Red Crescent partnership in addressing the humanitarian consequences of climate change.

Qureshi said one of the most striking observations regarding climate change from a humanitarian perspective was that its impact would be felt hardest by communities with limited adaptive capacity will, along with those with a high degree of dependence on climate-sensitive resources and above all, the most vulnerable people—the poorest of the poor.

He said the PRCS along with its movement partners would go beyond responding to extant crises, devoting considerable attention to deal with potential crises, such as climate change as we strongly believe that it is “our climate, our people and our responsibility.”

He said in the last two years the number of volunteers has increased from 50,000 to 78,000, first aid trainers from 60,000 to 72,000, the number of disaster management cells has more than doubled from 11 to 24 and the relief cover has been extended to 35,000 families and construction of a Disaster Management Complex worth Rs330 million that would have access to the American website to get instant information on any disaster anywhere in the world.

He stressed the need to join hands with continued determination and pledge a steadfast commitment to the cause of humanity not only in Pakistan but also to the cause of humanity anywhere in the world.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad Ilyas Khan, the PRCS secretary general, said the PRCS rendered humanitarian services to vulnerable communities through its branches all over Pakistan employing a dedicated staff and volunteers in the fields of disaster preparedness, disaster response, health and care, ambulance services and provision of safe quality blood. He said since its inception, the PRCS had emerged as the leading humanitarian organisation with an impressive track of services towards the cause of humanity through periods of turmoil and conflicts throughout the history.

He said during October 2005 devastating earthquake, the PRCS with the assistance of Movement Partners provided relief assistance worth Rs4 billion to over 2 million people and treated over 600,000 patients. “The PRCS also remained active in rehabilitation and reconstruction activities (construction of some 34 facilities) in the affected areas of Kashmiri and NWFP.”

During July 2007 flood in Sindh and Balochistan, the PRCS, after the government, emerged as the biggest contributor of assistance in the fields of relief, healthcare and water and sanitation. “We provide Rs300 million assistance to over 200,000 people,” he added.

Dr Ghulam Rasool an environmentalist also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the effects of climate change on human life and how to make our climate safe.

Students from Arid Agriculture University, Federal Urdu University and Army Public School, Rawalpindi, performed skits highlighting global warming and its effects on human life.

Stalls were also displayed on the occasion in which the participants showed keen interest.