Spotlight on the Climate and Peace Nexus at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28)

A declaration pointing in the right direction

For the first time, at COP28, there will be a "Relief, Recovery and Peace Day" on 3 December 2023 which focuses on the nexus of climate, peace, and conflict. This is the often missing link in the climate discourse. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) is taking place at a crucial time for international climate action.

At COP28, decisions-makers from all over the world discuss how to tackle the climate crisis. The conference in Dubai follows a year of extreme weather events and temperature records. The climate crisis hits the poorest and the lowest carbon emitting countries the hardest. Moreover, the majority of these countries is considered fragile and affected by conflict, and the population has to bear the double burden: on the one hand the climate induced environmental impacts that lead to the loss of livelihoods and to forced migration. At the same time, they have to cope with the consequences of violent disputes or wars including violence, human rights violations, displacement, destruction of livelihoods and wellbeing (see IRC-Watchlist 2023 and an example how climate crises affects conflicts dynamics in Iraq). [...]

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