How Climate Change Undermines Security in Iraq, Africa and India

Jun 17, 2022 | Clingendael Institute
The Hague, Netherlands and online
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On 17 June (14.45 - 16.00 CET) the Planetary Security Initiative (PSI) is organising a public event on the climate-related security risks and opportunities for environmental peacebuilding. As a knowledge hub, PSI links climate change and security, aiming to catalyse action in affected contexts. The event will feature both local solutions, such as PSI’s Basra Forum on Climate, Environment and Security in Iraq, and the role of international partners, particularly the Netherlands, in reducing climate-related risks.

Climate change has implications for security. Droughts, increasing temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events threaten the livelihoods of millions around the globe. Iraq, the Horn of Africa and India are among the most affected areas. In Iraq, a combination of water shortages, heat waves, and dust storms is directly threatening people’s lives and livelihoods and has helped to spur instability, notably in Basra in 2018. The Horn of Africa is facing the severest drought since 1981, accelerating food shortages along with the fallout of wheat exports from Russia and Ukraine. India is struggling with stronger and more frequent cyclones, rising sea levels and temperatures, with heatwaves threatening wheat harvests.

Programme

15:00: Welcome by Dr. Louise van Schaik, Head of Unit EU & Global Affairs
15:05: Input by Salman Khirallah (Humat Dijlah)
                  Discussant: H.E. Michel Rentenaar, Netherlands Ambassador to Iraq
15:15: Input by Arrliya Sugal (Berghof Foundation)
                  Discussant: H.E. Maarten Brouwer, Netherlands Ambassador to Kenya, Somalia and Eritrea
15:25: Input by Dr. Danashree Jayaram (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)
                  Discussant: H.E. Marten van den Berg, Netherlands Ambassador to India
15:35: Q&A and discussion
15:55: Concluding remarks by Dr. Louise van Schaik

Please register to join this event physically. We look forward to welcoming you at the Clingendael Institute.

Join online

If you are not able to attend at Clingendael, you will have the opportunity to watch the livestream on our YouTube channel. Register here to receive an email alert for the livestream.

Seats are limited. If you register, but you are unfortunately not able to join, you are obliged to send an email with your cancellation to events@clingendael.org. Then we can give a new guest the opportunity to come.