Climate change is a significant and emerging threat to public health and community social cohesion. As things stand, it may get worse as planet warms, oceans expand and the sea level rises, floods and droughts become more frequent and intense. This necessitates societies to afresh at ways it has to protect vulnerable populations such as those with mental health challenges, chronic illnesses and in humanitarian situations.

There is an emerging trend as climate change threatens to undermine the gains in development as it ravages livelihoods affecting the management of  resources, affecting health and  productivity, leading to  food insecurity,  conflicts, increasing poverty, creating internal displacement of populations and increase in refugee crises as people flee  areas of extreme climate events such as floods and droughts.

The relationship between climate change and health is complex, to some extent not so direct. The Shifting weather patterns have already driven up food prices partly due to failing crop yields. In the recent years climate change has become a social, economic, environmental and political challenge facing humankind both at local, regional and global level.

Climate change affects social and environmental determinants of health – clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter. In addition, there are different parameters of climate change that affect health such as extreme heat, natural disasters and variable rainfall patterns, and change in patterns of disease infection.

Climate change makes many existing diseases and conditions worse, but it may also lead to development of health challenges.  There is a notable increase in health related challenges more so psychological wellbeing of individuals and communities. Climate change may be one of the indirect factors that are contributing to the prevalence of mental disorders.  

Increase in populations in need of nutritional, energy, rights support, more so those in conflict conditions occasioned by climate-induced such as those in cross-border (regional and national) conflicts for resources is evident. This affects cohesion, increases conflicts which further fragments the social fabric and challenges the nutritional availability for the vulnerable populations such as children, elderly, people with disabilities and those with chronic illnesses.

Further, the conditions exacerbate the conditions leading development and or complexity in the management of non-communicable diseases.​

ACCC aims, as a Pan African Entity to advocate for inclusion of mental health, conflicts resolution, population, health and nutritional management in strategic planning and policy formulation that address the impact of Climate Change as an endeavour to contribute to reduction of the burden in the Region for sustainable development.

Goal

The ACCRCC has the following main goal: Responding to Climate Change and its Impact on Communities to create resilience to Climate Change in Communities.

Specific Objects

And in furtherance of the principal object, the Organization shall have the following ancillary objects and powers:

1. To advocate and campaign for a positive policy and legislative framework that puts into account the effects of climate change.
2. To support and coordinate civil society organizations to participate meaningfully in the climate change debates at the local, national, regional and international level, including Subsidiary bodies and  Conferences of Parties (COP).
3. To reduce climate change vulnerability of poor communities in Africa through awareness and strengthening the caapacity of African local communities and civil society to implement community-based adaptation and resilience projects.
4. To establish national movements against climate change; and provide a platform for diverse voices from civil society organizations pursuant to their role in society.
5. To promote sustainability and support inclusion of communities to effectively participate in climate change actions.
6. To establish a platform for diverse voices to share information, disseminate knowledge and best practices on climate change.
7. To conduct and build capacity in resilience of the climate vulnerable communities
8. To provide psycho-social support interventions for climate-related mental health
9. To advocate for policies in the area of climate-related Conflict, Security and Migration
10. To be a key player in disaster, risk reduction and Climate Change
11. To support vulnerable communities on climate-smart agriculture
12. To advocate for Gender –friendly Climate Change policies
13. To raise, secure and utilise funds for the attainment of any or all objects of the Organization, and to do such other things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of these objects.