Climate change has increased the frequency of natural disasters and calamities in Asia over the last two decades. Typhoons, cyclones, floods, landslides, forest fires, droughts, and other natural disasters have devastated the lives of millions of people in Asia. Despite early warnings about the potential dangers of typhoons, earthquakes, and landslides, many people are forced to live in areas that are prone to frequent threats of natural calamities.

Mitigation and adaptation must be emphasised in people’s responses to climate change. While there is ongoing advocacy to mitigate the effects of vulnerable situations, it is also feasible to find ways for communities to gain insight into actions that will be taken to ensure their safety and sustainability in the years to come. To mitigate the effects of climate change in communities, it is critical to investigate the state of the location while considering the hazards identified in recent studies. Once the community and its leaders have identified hazard-prone areas, these measures can be implemented. There is also a call to adaptation and resilience while considering the frequent natural disasters that strike a region. Considering the hazards would also imply selecting the best materials for homes, buildings, and infrastructure built in typhoon- and earthquake-prone areas.

The churches and their local congregations can be effective voices in advocating for environmental sustainability, taking both mitigation and adaptation into account. There are steps that churches can take in helping people better understand the issue, based on Christian theological and ethical principles and also on partnerships with governments, multilateral organisations, as well as other development agencies and organisations.

This Churcha session on ‘Climate Crisis Mitigation and Adaptation: Environmental Sustainability in God’s Oikos’ will discuss the best practices and models for mitigation and adaptation for environmental sustainability.