Climate Change, Disasters, Conflict, and Peace
Date & Time
Jun 9, 2026 |
11.00
- 12.30
Link
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0UU49RBhQi-1rXqspMlfcA
Participants
Chair: Kristin Weis, George Mason University (United States)
Safwan Alhaiek, Scientific Studies and Research Centre (Syrian Arab Republic)
Buket Altincelep, University of Massachusetts – Boston (Turkey)
Arifa Shafqat, Lahore College for Women University (Pakistan)
Aleena Khan, Lahore University of Management Sciences (Pakistan)
This session explores ways in which vulnerable populations are disproportionately impacted by climate change and presents strategies that can enhance both peace and environmental security in these contexts. One presentation explores how economic vulnerability and land degradation compound the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in Syria, highlighting adaptive strategies and lessons from past initiatives. Another focuses on remote and Indigenous communities in Hunza, Pakistan, finding that these groups often have a heightened awareness of climate change and emphasizing adaptation strategies grounded in local knowledge. A third presentation considers the growing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, arguing that, despite concerns about misinformation and information overload, social media can play a critical role in disaster management through real-time communication, early warnings, and coordination among authorities, communities, and humanitarian actors. The final presentation concerns environmental safeguards in voluntary carbon markets, finding that inadequately governed programs like REDD+ can exacerbate social conflict, and offers actionable insights for designing more conflict-sensitive carbon market policies. Together, the presentations underscore the importance of community-centered, inclusive, and context-specific approaches to climate adaptation and environmental governance.
Conflict, Climate Change, and Environmental Degradation in Syria: Soil, Livelihoods, and the Multiplication of Risk
Safwan Alhaiek, Scientific Studies and Research Centre (Syria)
The Conflict-Sensitivity Gap: Evaluating Safeguards and Governance in Voluntary Carbon Markets through REDD+
Buket Altincelep, University of Massachusetts – Boston (Turkey)
Indigenous Knowledge and Risk Perception of Climate Change and Natural Disasters in the Hunza Valley, Pakistan
Arifa Shafqat, Lahore College For Women University (Pakistan)
Social Media and Disaster Management in Pakistan: Shaping Public Perceptions and Resilience
Aleena Khan, Lahore University of Management Sciences (Pakistan)