Three Steps to Including Conflict Considerations in the Design of Climate Change Adaptation Projects
Publisher: Stockholm Hub
Author(s): Karen Meijer, Emilie Broek, Nella Canales, and Biljana Macura
Date: 2023
Topics: Climate Change, Conflict Causes, Conflict Prevention, Programming
Countries: Sudan
Research in 2020 found that 12 out of the 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change were also affected by conflict. Climate change, combined with existing social, political and economic dynamics, can exacerbate vulnerabilities, undermine peacebuilding efforts and lead to new conflicts. This is especially the case in fragile and conflict-affected countries, where low development levels, insecurity and weak governance limit coping potential. It is known that little international climate finance reaches fragile and conflict-affected countries to support their adaptation activities. However, it remains poorly understood whether the climate change adaptation projects financed through international climate finance that does reach these countries effectively contribute to reducing conflict risk.
In fragile and conflict-affected countries, climate change adaptation projects have the potential to influence conflict dynamics—and either increase or reduce conflict risks—depending on their design and implementation. The impact of conflict on project implementation (and vice versa) has been recognized by major donors of international climate finance as an issue that should receive attention. However, as yet, conflict risks do not seem to be systematically considered in the design and evaluation of adaptation projects, making it difficult to determine how the projects influence conflict dynamics.