State fragility, often related to the expansion of organised crime and human rights violations, has contributed towards elevated rates of violence across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Additionally, high inequality is shaping how climate affects security in the region, raising new issues about climate justice and climate-related migration. In short, climate change acts as a risk multiplier in LAC, exacerbating existing conflict and fragility dynamics.
A first part of the 2020 Berlin Climate and Security Conference, which took place in June, brought together leading figures from several sectors through two scientific workshops and a high-level political segment. After the summer break, this second part will reflect on how more comprehensive risk assessments could support forward-looking and preventative foreign and security policy.
Insecurity is plaguing north-western Nigeria, due to persistent herder-farmer tensions, rising crime and infiltration by Islamist militants. Federal and state authorities should focus on resolving conflict between agrarian and pastoralist communities, through dialogue and resource-sharing agreements, while also stepping up law enforcement.
The scope of national security is expanding beyond violent threats to encompass a broader array of dangers. In an article for World Politics Review, CFR's Stewart M. Patrick assesses the implications of COVID-19 and climate change for the theory and practice of national security.
Although there is no causality nor direct and automatic link between climate change and conflict, we can see that climate change can intensify conflict drivers and make it harder to find stability. The online workshop "Climate change, conflict and fragility: Increasing resilience against climate-fragility risks", organised by the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) and adelphi, looked into this complex relationship.
The majority of Mali’s regions are currently affected by violent conflict. At the same time, Mali’s climate is changing. This climate security risk brief outlines linkages between climate change and security in Mali and their implications for peace and stability.
This first part of the 2020 Berlin Climate and Security Conference brought together leading figures from governments, international organisations, the scientific community, the private sector and civil society through two scientific workshops and a high-level political segment. After the summer break, a second part will reflect on how more comprehensive risk assessments could support forward-looking and preventative foreign and security policy.
In response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 situation, the UN System Staff College (UNSSC) is expanding its online offerings in the form of “Coffee Hours”. Climate security was one of the featured topics. This session focused on the opportunities and challenges of translating climate risk analysis into regional conflict and climate-sensitive programming.
In the central Sahel, states are mobilising to combat the impact of climate change as way of reducing conflict. But to respond suitably to growing insecurity, it is important to look beyond a simplistic equation linking global warming and resource scarcity to outbreaks of violence.
How might a single threat, even one deemed unlikely, spiral into an evolving global crisis which challenges the foundations of global security, economic stability and democratic governance, all in the matter of a few weeks?
In response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 situation, the UN System Staff College (UNSSC) is expanding its online offerings in the form of “Coffee Hours,” with climate security being one of the featured topics. This session focused on successful field experiences of integrating environmental and climate change considerations into peacebuilding, prevention and sustaining peace in different regions.
In response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 situation, the UN System Staff College (UNSSC) is expanding its online offerings in the form of “Coffee Hours”, with climate security being one of the featured topics. This session focused on the risks posed by climate change to peace and security, underlining the importance of integrating climate change considerations into peacebuilding, and vice versa.
What is needed to fully tackle the complex challenges around the environmental dimensions of armed conflicts? Civil society, affected states and experts have struggled with this essential question for decades.
Today’s violent conflicts are proving deadlier and more difficult to resolve than ever before. In addition, there is a growing recognition of the role of climate change in exacerbating conflict risks. In light of these, a new report by UNU-CPR aims to support the UN and its partners in developing climate-sensitive conflict prevention approaches.
South Asia’s vulnerability to climate change and associated fragility risks calls for a regional approach to climate services. Different actors need to cooperate to share actionable climate information—the security architecture in the region would benefit.