Kolkata is among the top 10 cities in the world most vulnerable to sea level rise due to climate change. In the last six months, Calcutta Rescue has really woken up to the risks of global warming.
These range from health problems caused by excessive heat and disease to the threat posed to the population and their homes by extreme weather conditions and flooding.
The team in Kolkata has started to investigate what can be done to mitigate this impact. A working group has also been set up to look at how the organization can reduce its own negative impact on the environment.
British volunteer Dr. Alan Schamroth has taken the lead in advising on how Calcutta Rescue can incorporate the promotion of resilience to climate change into its programs. He has also written a paper on Calcutta Rescue's work in this area, which he presented at a meeting of the prestigious global health organization Medicus Mundi in Basel in early November 2022.
Calcutta Rescue is already supporting refugees as a result of climate change, most of whom come from the Sunderbans, a huge mangrove forest delta on the Bay of Bengal near Kolkata.
Calcutta Rescue is now exploring how it can create a more resilient health system and help promote and deliver universal health coverage, which will make an important contribution to sustainable development in the communities in which it operates.