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BCSC II: Climate and conflict in the Sahel: A rule of law perspective | IDLO | 15.09.2020

Building on the high-level political Part I of BCSC 2020 and the launch of the Global Climate Security Risk and Foresight Assessment, Part II of the conference runs from September 7 to October 2. It brings together the climate-security community of practice and aims to inform policies and programming on the ground, including the Global Climate Security Risk and Foresight Assessment led by adelphi and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

The conference features a diverse and engaging programme of 22 partner-led online sessions, on themes selected to further the understanding of, and ability to address specific aspects of climate change and security which urgently need deeper exploration. Topics include how to better use data in climate security risk assessments, urban climate-security risks, integration of gender into responses to climate-security risks, and migration and displacement in the context of climate change and conflict. Events are hosted by adelphi, the Berghof Foundation, CCCPA, Chatham House, Clingendael, the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office, the German Red Cross, the International Development Law Organization, the IRC, the Munich Security Conference, PIK, the Red Cross Crescent Climate Centre, UNEP, and the UNSSC. 

In fragile contexts, immediate impacts of climate change, e.g. on precipitation and temperatures, may combine with pre-existing political and social tensions to exacerbate competition over scarce natural resources. This is tragically evident in the Sahel region, where recurrent droughts, population growth and weak governance increase pressure on land and water. A lack of effective and legitimate dispute resolution mechanisms – formal and customary – and weak land rights and land governance systems are part of the reason why the resulting competition is increasingly escalating into violent conflict.

Moderator

  • Romualdo Mavedzenge, Regional Program Manager for Africa, IDLO

Speakers

  • Thomas Ritzer, Political Affairs Officer, UN Department of Political Affairs
  • Esther Obaikol, Land Governance Expert at IGAD Secretariat
  • Prof. Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Professor of Law, University of Nairobi
  • Marco Lankhorst, IDLO Program Advisor Sahel