Conflict Prevention in an Era of Climate Change. Adapting the UN to Climate-Security Risks
Publisher: UN University Centre for Policy Research
Author(s): Adam Day and Jessica Caus
Date: 2020
Topics: Climate Change, Conflict Causes, Conflict Prevention, Disasters, Governance, Livelihoods, Renewable Resources
Today’s violent conflicts are proving deadlier and more difficult to resolve than ever before. Over the past decade, the number of civil wars has nearly tripled, driven by a growth in transnational criminal networks, greater presence of radical groups in many settings and a willingness of international actors to support intrastate conflicts. There is also a growing recognition of the role of climate change in exacerbating today’s conflict risks. Climate-related changes in transboundary water resources, food security, sea levels, flood risks and migration patterns are already impacting the stability of many States and will require large-scale adaptation and mitigation. As these trends continue to affect a growing number of countries around the world, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has explicitly placed climate change as a central aspect of the UN’s prevention agenda, as have key Member States. This report aims to support the UN and its partners in developing climate-sensitive conflict prevention approaches. It offers: (1) a literature review covering the major scholarship on the links between climate change and violent conflict; (2) in-depth case studies on climate-security dynamics in Bangladesh and Nigeria; and (3) cross-cutting conclusions and recommendations for the UN system