Climate Change: Inter-Ethnic Conflict Linked to Climate Change

Jul 25, 2016 | Megan Darby, Climate Home
View Original

There is a growing awareness among security analysts that global warming can have a destabilising effect. For example, studies suggest a prolonged drought hit crop yields and heightened tensions in Syria, contributing to the ongoing civil war. Statistical analysis published in journal PNAS on Monday shows a wider relationship: 9% of armed conflicts over 1980-2010 coincided with climate-related disasters. It’s a figure that rises to 23% in countries with deep ethnic divides.