Do Not Underestimate the Links between Climate Change and Conflict, Experts Warn

Apr 27, 2022 | Francesco Femia, Caitlin Werrell
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General Tom Middendorp (ret.), Chair of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS), is one of more than a dozen leaders in the fields of climate science, peacebuilding, and security to have endorsed a joint statement released on April 27th calling for the links between climate change and conflict to inform a broad spectrum of policy-making and programming.

The statement includes a series of recommendations to better integrate the fight against climate change and efforts to prevent and respond to conflicts. These will help prevent future losses and damages while supporting truly sustainable development and promoting peace and stability, the statement says.

“Addressing the climate-security nexus is an essential component of climate justice” it reads, continuing: “The international community should do whatever it takes to protect those who have contributed the least to the climate crisis, and already face the greatest risks to their lives and livelihoods, from the terrible prospect of violent conflict.”

The statement builds on the ongoing work of IMCCS, an international network facilitated by the Center for Climate and Security in partnership with a consortium of key organizations, that seeks to anticipate, analyze, and address the security risks of climate change