Linkages between conflict, environment, and climate change
The relationship between environmental issues and conflict is complex and multifaceted. Environmental factors can play a direct or indirect role in causing, intensifying, or mitigating conflict relationships, at different scales. Understanding the connections in each context is essential for mitigating conflict risks and for promoting peace.
Environmental factors promoting peace and security
Sustainable environmental practices can help address root causes of conflict by improving livelihoods, reducing inequalities, and building resilience. Improved natural resource governance, including securing rights and sharing power and responsibilities, and building of institutions, can be stabilising factors. Promotion of accountability and participation that counteract biodiversity loss, improved climate change adaptation, and social protection, are other entry-point. Another example is cooperation over shared environmental challenges, such as water scarcity or renewable energy, that can foster collaboration and reduce tensions between stakeholders.
Environmental issues exacerbating conflict and vulnerability
Natural resource scarcity in societies that are directly dependent on natural resources, with small margins and little resilience, leads to increased competition and a deterioration of livelihoods. The competition can become unmanageable in the absence of institutions for conflict resolution and good governance. While there is limited direct causal relationships between climate change and conflict, climate change influences other causes of conflict. Climate change can also exacerbate factors that lead to migration and forced displacement and further vulnerability. In conflict-affected societies there is a particularly strong relationship between climate and environmental change and the destructive impact of natural disaster.
