Enviroment and Climate Change

International Alert in cooperation with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, EU Brussels, and AIM Centre for Development Management, convened an expert roundtable discussion on the security implications of climate change in the Philippines on 24th April 2012.

International Alert’s fifth dialogue on climate change, conflict and fragility, held on 27th January 2012 in London, explored the connections between climate change and community level security, drawing on new research from West Africa and South Asia. During the discussion, participants explored the practicalities of linking top-down policies with on the ground realities in communities already facing complex risks to their human security.

By Clémence Bessière

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

The South Asia Network of Climate Change and Security, having met in Male’ on the 1st of December 2011 to discuss opportunities and challenges related to climate change and security in South Asia, offer the following views to the Parties and Governments of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

library: 

SANSaC Male' Statement to CoP17.pdf

The South Asia Network of Climate Change and Security, having met in Male’ on the 1st of December 2011 to discuss opportunities and challenges related to climate change and security in South Asia, offer the following views to the Parties and Governments of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

library: 

SANSaC Male' Statement to CoP17.pdf

Stories of flood-affected communities in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh, citizens from the disappearing islands of the Maldives and the drought affected communities of the Sahel, all in their own ways struggling to cope with the impacts of climate change are increasingly permeating mainstream consciousness within those countries whose carbon intensive development over the past 100 years has been contributing to these situations.

This note explains the importance of using a conflict-sensitive approach to responding to climate change in South Asia. It offers guidelines and emerging principles on how climate change and development policy makers and practitioners can promote peace-positive adaptation actions which can yield the double dividend of building resilience to climate change and conflict. Issues of water, land, energy and food security are highly affected by climate change. At the same time, inappropriate governance of these issues lies at the root of conflicts across the region.

Practice Note