Climate Change Impacts on Conflict

It is now widely accepted that climate change exacerbates conflict. However, our understanding of this nexus and the myriad forms it can take are still at the early stages – and both the climate change and the peacebuilding communities struggle to find appropriate responses.

With this event, the Berghof Foundation and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) want to advance the debate from stating the facts to taking action. Starting with inputs from experts on Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Syria, we will discuss how effects of the climate crisis, such as droughts and shifting rainfall patterns, affect local conflict dynamics. Based on these insights, we will explore with experts on climate change and peacebuilding which challenges lay ahead for both disciplines, where innovative approaches are developed and how organisations should reach out for increased cooperation and funding.