Climate Change

A study in the peer review journal Science out this week claims to show evidence of the links between a warming climate and increased violence. But case study research from International Alert on community resilience in fragile contexts in South Asia guards against such generalisations and shows that local dynamics and nuances are critical.

International Alert convenes an expert roundtable, Building resilience – building peace, in Kathmandu on Monday 8 July. It’s the culmination of two and half years of research on the impact of climate change on local communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. I can’t be there, so we recorded four minutes to camera as my contribution to the day's events.

This study is one of a series of regional studies which aim to present evidence of the interactions between environmental, social, political and economic risks at the local level in South Asia. Drawing on field research and consultations with policymakers, practitioners and academics, this case study looks at the dimensions of local resilience and the reasons for vulnerability and non-adaptation in two districts, Thatta and Badin, in Sindh province.

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This study is one of a series of regional studies which aim to present evidence of the interactions between environmental, social, political and economic risks at the local level in South Asia. Drawing on field research and consultations with policymakers, practitioners and academics, this case study seeks to identify obstacles to and opportunities for interventions to build resilience to interlinked environmental and security risks in fragile, post-conflict contexts in Nepal.

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This study is one of a series of regional studies which aim to present evidence of the interactions between environmental, social, political and economic risks at the local level in South Asia. Drawing on field research and consultations with policymakers, practitioners and academics, this case study looks at the dimensions of local resilience in two communities living around Chilika Lake in Odisha, the biggest brackish water lake in India.

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This study is one of a series of regional studies which aim to present evidence of the interactions between environmental, social, political and economic risks at the local level in South Asia. Drawing on field research and consultations with policymakers, practitioners and academics, this case study seeks to identify obstacles to and opportunities for interventions to build resilience to interlinked environmental and security risks among vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.

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This is the executive summary for a series of regional studies which aim to present evidence of the interactions between environmental, social, political and economic risks at the local level in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. It is based on the findings from desk and field research which looks at the root causes of vulnerability and non-adaptation in fragile contexts, and at the opportunities for strengthening resilience to combined risks of climate change and conflict.

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This report examines how forestry projects under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) initiative affect pre-existing structures of power, economy, fairness, safety and wellbeing in Brazil, Indonesia and Uganda, and how they may exacerbate pre-existing conflicts over land and resources. The report also looks at how REDD+ funds could provide the opportunity to diversify livelihoods, encourage sustainable development and enhance the adaptive capacity of local populations in the face of a changing climate.

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This summary report is based on a research project in collaboration with the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and the School of International Development at the University of East Anglia. The research analyses the links between environmental stress, climate change, human security, conflict and adaptation at different scales and localities along the Niger River. Drawing on the study’s findings, this report offers key policy guidelines for resilience building, adaptation and reducing conflict.

Report summary

This report is based on a research project in collaboration with the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and the School of International Development at the University of East Anglia. The research analyses the links between environmental stress, climate change, human security, conflict and adaptation at different scales and localities along the Niger River.

Full report

Climate change is upon us and its physical effects have started to unfold. That is the broad scientific consensus expressed in the Fourth Assessment Review of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change. This report takes this finding as its starting point and looks at the social and human consequences that are likely to ensue – particularly the risks of conflict and instability.

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