Rethinking Climate Change Support in Violent Conflict-Affected States

May 29, 2024 | Danish Institute for International Studies
Copenhagen, Denmark and online
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Areas of the world affected by violent conflict and state fragility are among the most vulnerable to climate change yet receive an extremely low share of global climate financing. This is despite the fact that most United Nations (UN) Member States now recognise the interlinkages between climate change and violent conflict. 

The UN New Agenda for Peace (NA4P) highlights the ‘climate, peace and security’ agenda as a crucial policy area that has also been taken up in the UN Security Council. Although climate change does not in and of itself cause violent conflict, it creates additional risks to peacebuilding and security, especially in already fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Reversely, violent conflicts exacerbate existing vulnerabilities to climate change, reducing people’s ability to cope with the effects of climate change and harming assets that facilitate adaptation. Evidence also shows that violent conflicts cause environmental damages, threatening sustainable land use and fragile ecosystems, which can exacerbate vulnerability to climate change in the long term.

To scale-up climate change support to violent conflict-affected areas necessitates a substantial rethinking of global climate financing models and operational mechanisms. At this one-day DIIS seminar researchers, UN experts, and civil society organisations will discuss the current challenges to and possibilities for advancing climate change support to fragile and violent conflict-affected contexts. We will address the gaps in current global financing set-ups and discuss the role that UN bodies, including the UN Security Council, can play in advancing the climate, peace, and security agenda. Special attention will be paid to how support can be better channelled through local organisations and non-state actors in alignment with recent recommendations from UN bodies and Member States. The afternoon session will zoom in on ongoing climate initiatives in Myanmar and Somalia, two of the most climate vulnerable and conflict-affected countries in the world.

Speakers

  • Paul Sein Twa, Co-founder and Director, Karen Environmental Social Action Network (KESAN)
  • Florian Krampe, Programme Director, Climate Change and Risk Programme, SIPRI
  • Thor Olav Iversen, Senior Researcher, Climate-related Peace and Security Risks, NUPI
  • Harriet Mackaill Hill, Climate and Peace Advocacy Advisor, International Alert 
  • Catherine Wong, Team Leader - Climate and Security Risk, UNDP
  • Christophe Hodder, UN Climate Security and Environmental advisor to Somalia (online)
  • Louise Wiuff Moe, Associate Professor, Roskilde University
  • Justine Chambers, Postdoctoral Researcher, MyCClimate, DIIS
  • Helene Maria Kyed, Senior Researcher, MyCClimate, DIIS

Programme

10.00-10.15     Welcome and introduction, Helene Maria Kyed
10.15-11.15     Panel: Climate finance to conflict-affected areas - challenges and possibilities
11.15-12.00     Q&A moderated by Justine Chambers
12.00-13.00     Lunch
13.00-14.00     Panel: Myanmar - localisation and the role of indigenous people
14.00-14.10     Coffee break
14.10-15.10     Panel: Somalia - integrating climate, security and peacebuilding
15.10-16.00     Q&A moderated by Helene Maria Kyed

Practical information

The seminar will be held in English. Participation is free of charge but registration is required via our registration form. Please indicate whether you wish to participate all day or either in the morning or afternoon session or follow the livestreaming when registering. If you have chosen livestreaming when registering, DIIS Conference will send you a link by email to the livestreaming approx. 1 hour before the seminar begins.

Wednesday 29 May 2024, 10.00-16.00

DIIS ∙ Danish Institute for International Studies

Gl. Kalkbrænderi Vej 51A

2100 Copenhagen