Climate Change, Roma, and The Salvation Army

23 October 2019

       by: Alexandra OLSON

       Around the world, natural disasters and extreme weather patterns attest to the reality of climate change. In Africa, severe droughts plague villages. In Asia, earthquakes and tsunamis devastate entire regions. In Europe, heat waves sweep the entire continent and there is an increased risk of in-land flash floods and more frequent coastal flooding. Bearing these recent occurrences and their future implications in mind, it may be beneficial to mainstream climate change concerns into current and future projects and programs that seek to help the most vulnerable populations.

         Research has concluded that individuals living in poverty will be the most affected by changes in weather patterns and environmental disasters linked to climate change because they have the fewest resources that are necessary to adapt when faced with such conditions. For example, an individual with a stable income will be far better equipped to cope with the increased costs of food and water as it becomes scarcer and will have a roof over their head to shield them from extreme weather patterns. In contrast, populations like the Roma who face high levels of poverty and unemployment as well as poor quality housing and water, will not. 

        The impact of extreme heat waves on homeless Roma throughout Europe is important to consider. The implications of weather patterns such as this are especially felt in big cities because of a phenomenon known as the “urban heat island effect”. Because of this the number of heat wave days in European cities are nearly double those in the suburban areas that surround them.1 In the summers to come, it may be beneficial for The Salvation Army to establish more day centers in collaboration with local organizations and NGOs in order to provide a safe place for Roma both inside and outside of cities. Not only would these centers serve to protect against heat stroke, but they would provide a place of fellowship where social networks can be developed and expanded. These social networks are vital in times of crisis, when individuals have the need to reach out for help the most.   

        Throughout Europe, it has been predicted that certain regions and cities may face increased risks of flooding due to heavier rainfall, which is a problem that may be exacerbated by a lack of preventative infrastructure.2 In some cities where Roma compose a large portion of the population, significant amounts of impermeable surfaces like concrete or asphalt make it difficult for rainfall to disperse and drain efficiently, which is the case in Paris, Bucharest, and Barcelona. In addition to infrastructural issues, researchers have concluded that coastal European countries like France, Spain, and the United Kingdom will face an increased flood risk due to temperature increases starting at a mere 1.5 degrees Celsius.3 For Roma, these patterns as well as high levels of poverty can create a cyclical effect, rendering individuals more vulnerable to being affected by flooding due to a lack of stable resources as well as worsening poverty after being affected by flooding. 

        In response to these predictions, The Salvation Army can work to strengthen protection factors against vulnerability for Roma populations by implementing and expanding programmes that seek to eliminate homelessness, help maintain a stable housing situation, provide gainful employment opportunities, and increase their overall living conditions and health. Programmes such as these are already in place in many countries in which The Salvation Army operates- for example, a homelessness prevention project already exists in the Czech Republic and a cooking project in Sweden provides opportunities for Roma women to utilise their traditional cooking skills to earn money- which should be used as a best practice example to base future project investments on. 

        The Salvation Army is also involved in a Horizon 2020 project which seeks to map levels of resilience in vulnerable populations in regard to man-made and natural disasters. The data that is compiled from this project will provide a better understanding how phenomenon such as this impact marginalised populations like Roma and will be used to advocate for policy changes that will further provide increased protections.

        Considerations for The Salvation Army:

- TSA should actively prepare for the impact that climate change will have on vulnerable people, the ones we serve. 

- TSA should promote and implement projects that help marginalised people be more resilient to the effects of climate change.  

 

Tags: Europe