Violent conflict and vulnerability to climate change. But how severe are the security risks and conflict potentials of climate change. Climate change, water conflicts and human security in the. Since 2000, she had lead extensive sensitive investigations on activities underpinning conflict and structural violence.
Climate change, population drift and violent conflict over land resources3 resources in north east nigeria. Food security, conflict, energy, climate change, displacement, health, human security, refugees 20100802 christian webersik university of agder. Climate security refers to the security risks induced, directly or indirectly, by changes in the natural climate. There is a real risk that climate change will compound the propensity for violent conflict, which in turn will leave communities poorer, less resilient and less able to cope with the consequences of climate change. There is high agreement that climate change intimidates security where the term security can refer to a broad range of securities involving national, international and human security. Climate change and violent conflict published on may 17, 2012 journal article in science, published by the american association for the advancement of science united states, 18 may 2012. It assesses climate induced migration and its influence on security concerns about climate change. This provides a foundation for investigating how peace can be maintained and shaped in the face of vast pressures, including those of climate change. Climate change and rising violence are linked, according to. The issues of human security and conflict in relation to climate change have.
A climate risk assessment for the united states identifies the economic risks posed by a changing climate. Human security programme phases in post conflict situations 31. Climate change is undoubtedly a powerful phenomenon capable of transforming society and influencing human behavior, in some instances laying the groundwork for criminogenic conditions. This paper integrates three disparate but wellfounded bodies of research e on the vulnerability of local places and social groups to climate change, on livelihoods and violent conflict, and the role of the state in development and. Climate change is becoming a focal point for security and conflict research and a challenge for the worlds governance structures. Challenges for societal stability hexagon series on human and environmental security and peace on free shipping on qualified orders. One of the key effects of climate change is that extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, and rainfall variations become more frequent and more severe. Climate change and violent conflictv3 oxfam america. Climate change, natural disasters and conflict evidence connecting climate change to armed conflict is still evolving, but the implications of climate change for human and international security are clear. Water, drought, climate change, and conflict in syria. Norman myers and donald kennedy, although their works are more substantial, are not specialists on conflict. Human needs and relative deprivation theories oscar edoror ubhenin enhancing security and resilience of lowincome communities to climate change in. The relationship between climate change and violent conflict is complex, countryspecific, and also localized within nations. Climate security is a concept that summons the idea that climate related change amplifies existing risks in society that endangers the security of humans, ecosystems, economy, infrastructure and societies.
Jon barnett and neil adger, climate change, human security and violent. Impacts of climate change, such as drought, floods. The most prominent general link goes from climate change via sealevel rise and migration, but we will also trace some other links. Climate change, human security and violent conflict. Countries at risk many of the worlds poorest countries and communities thus face a doubleheaded problem. Climate change is also likely to undermine the capacity of states to provide the opportunities and services that help people to sustain their livelihoods. Climate change and rising violence are linked, according to 55 scientific studies. Box cchs, for example, documents the evidence on the impacts of heat stress on. Although titled climate change and violent conflict, rahman 1999 a chapter in an edited volume contains little on either conflict or climate change.
Climate change, climate security, threat multiplier, adaptation, mitigation, conflict prevention. Government as defined in title 17, united states code, section. Climate change, human insecurity, and violent conflict. Climate change and violent conflict 5 executive summary a burgeoning literature explores climate change as a risk multiplier that will lead to an escalation in armed conflicts. Human security must be implemented with full respect for the purposes and principles enshrined in the charter of the united nations, including full respect for the sovereignty of states, territorial. Box cchs, for example, documents the evidence on the impacts of.
Human agency permeates every link in the chain from climate change to violent conflict. This chapter provides an overview of the research looking into the causes. Pdf climate change, human security and violent conflict. This has been one of the challenges of developing appropriate climate change adaptation. The worlds poor, the majority of whom are women, are encumbered disproportionately. On environmental change and armed conflict halvard buhaug and ole magnus theisen. Climate change, water conflicts and human security ecologic. Climate change, human security and violent conflict request pdf. Today, it is generally accepted that climate change is a security threat.
Climate change, human security and violent conflict 123 help me. Climate change, human security and violent conflict uea. Climate change, human security and violent conflict iucn. Climate change is becoming a focal point for security and conflict research. Climate change as a threat multiplier for human disaster. Much of this research provides evidence that climate change affects violent conflict. Hexagon series on human and environmental security and peace, vol. Climate change, human security and violent conflict springerlink. Exploring the links between climate change and violent. Climate change, conflict and security scan overseas development. Climate change, human security and violent conflict gsdrc. This literature can be referred to as climate change causes conflict.
This means to a greater or lesser degree global warming could be considered a factor in the situations, such as a lack of resources and mass migration, that allow conflict to flourish. Evidence connecting climate change to armed conflict is still evolving, but the implications of climate change for human and international security are clear. It is essential that we recognise the connections as factors affecting women, peace and security. Climate change, human security and violent conflict challenges for. In addition, the impacts of climate change on, for instance, food or water security. Climate change and conflict 11 overview 11 climate and environmental change and conflict in sudan 12 theoretical and analytical framework 18 human security 18 the deprivationvulnerability approach to human security 20 addressing climate. This has been one of the challenges of developing appropriate climate change adaptation and the building of resilience policies. Climate change, water conflicts and human security in the mediterranean, middle east and sahel. Global analysis of the resilience of international river treaties to increased water variability. Climate change, human security, and violent conflict in the. The economic risks of climate change in the united states. National security implications carolyn pumphrey editor may 2008 this publication is a work of the u.
Although there is a greater number of studies that seek to understand the relationship between climate and human security unga. Climate change fuelling resourcebased conflicts in the. Climate change is a global challenge that burdens all of humanity, but not equally. Climate change and natural disasters affecting women peace. Climate change and natural disasters affecting women. This book focuses on possible causal linkages among the three scientific research areas of climate change, human security, and violent conflict and asks whether they have posed challenges for societal stability in the past and in the present, and whether climate change. Research suggests that violent conflict is affected by climate change and this could become increasingly worse in the future. This paper integrates three disparate but wellfounded bodies of research e on the vulnerability of local places and social groups to climate change, on livelihoods and violent conflict. The research topic c4 climate change, security risks and violent conflicts focuses on the linkages between climate hotspots and regions of high social insecurity and violent conflict.
Climate change, hydroconflicts and human security clico the effectiveness of policy frameworks for addressing climateinduced risks to human security and conflict. It explains that climate change increasingly undermines human security in the present day,and will increasingly do so in the future, by reducing access to, and the quality of, natural resources that are important to sustain livelihoods. Researchers also agree on the need for a better understanding of why, how and when this might occur. Climate change, population drift and violent conflict over. Climate change, water conflicts and human security. If you wish to distribute this article to others, you can order highquality. Undp will take up the relationship between human development and climate change in its human. Climate change and violent conflict by open briefing issuu. The focus of the conflict is regime change, but the triggers include a broad set of religious and sociopolitical factors, the erosion of the economic health of the country, a wave of political reform sweeping over the middle east and north africa mena and levant region, and challenges associated with climate variability and change. Climate change poses risks to human security both through changes in mean conditions and the severity and frequency of natural disasters. The main impact pathways described in the literature include competition for scarce environmental resources, especially arable land and clean water, but also habitable land, which. Climate change, human security, societal stability, and violent conflict. Human security programmes have advanced indepth analysis of the local context to understand the multidimensional consequences of climate change and its impact on the severity and distribution of.
Climate change, human security, and violent conflict in the anthropocene hans gunter brauch and jurgen scheffran. It explains that climate change increasingly undermines human security in the present day, and will increasingly do so in the future, by reducing access to, and the quality of, natural resources that are important to sustain livelihoods. Climate change, human security and violent conflict springer. We argue that in certain circumstances these direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human security may in turn increase the risk of violent conflict. The issues of human security and conflict in relation to climate change have evolved to a place where they now constitute a recognized and important component in the climate change conversation, and are being addressed in a diverse range of fora through meetings, reports and changes in policy. This report pdf, 4,42 mb, english presents a comprehensive regional assessment of these questions in the clico study area the mediterranean, middle east, and sahel in terms of climate change impacts, vulnerabilities, conflict cooperation and human security.
Does climate change increase the risk of violent conflict. More dramatic still, a report to the pentagon on implications of climate change for us national security sketches scenarios of epic. Climate change fuelling resourcebased conflicts in the asiapacific alice blondel alice blondel is a conflict and security professional with a focus on natural resources, governance and climate change. Public disclosure authorized public disclosure authorized. As the climate changeconflictsecurity nexus has gained attention. Impacts on human systems are worrying given the rate of change and the fact that climatic variations have triggered largescale social disruptions in the past.
Specifically, the chapter documents the evidence of climate change in the pastoral areas in kenya. Resource scarcity, climate change and the risk of violent. Resource scarcity, climate change and the risk of violent conflict alex evans1 center on international cooperation new york university september 9, 2010 the findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. Specifically this article addresses the nature of communal civil violent conflicts in the northeast area of nigeria, the extent to which continuous climate change has contributed to the scenario, the patterns of the climatically induced violent conflicts, the major actors. Human security with a designated section on conflict. Climate change also has short, medium and longterm impacts, which makes the time perspective adopted key. Challenges for societal stability hexagon series on human and environmental security and peace on free. They do not necessarily represent the views of the world development report. Due to their geographical location, however, it is the fragile states and those already marked by conflict. Recently, highlevel policy documents point to climate change being a riskmultiplier for conflict. The distinct impacts of climate change on men and women are exacerbated in settings that are also affected by violent conflict.
Climate change and violent conflict in east africa implications for policy there is growing consensus among researchers that climate change can increase the risk of violent conflict under certain circumstances. This book focuses on possible causal linkages among the three scientific research areas of climate change, human security, and violent conflict and asks whether they have posed challenges for societal stability in the past and in the present, and whether climate change might intensify societal instability in the future. Climate change is a socalled structural threat or threat multiplier when it comes to security and conflict. Severe droughts, damaging floods and mass migration. Climate change is increasingly been called a security problem, and there has been speculation that climate change may increase the risk of violent conflict. It offers new insights into the relationships between climate change, human security, and violent conflict by integrating three disparate but wellfounded bodies of research on the vulnerability of local places and social groups to climate change, on livelihoods and violent conflict, and the role of the state in development and peacemaking. Climate change as a threat multiplier for human disaster and conflict. Climate change, human security and violent conflict essay.
Climate related security risks have farreaching implications for the way the world manages peace and security. Emerging pattern of environmentally induced conflict over land resources in north east nigeria and the policy implications of violent conflict. This book focuses on possible causal linkages among the three scientific research areas of climate change, human security, and violent conflict and asks whether they have posed challenges for. Barnett, j and adger, wn 2007 climate change, human security and violent conflict. The nature of evidence about climate change and human security. Yet environmental change does not undermine human security in isolation from. Lessons for conflict resolution from the southern sahel of sudan executive summary using a human security perspective, this report identifies and analyses local and international nongovernmental organisation ngo interventions in cases of conflicts.