Opportunities: Developing a people-centered approach to climate security

People and communities, not states, need to be the focus of climate security approaches, making sure that hardships and grievances exacerbated by the changing climate do not escalate into security issues. Peace operations should equally look at both conflict risks and climate change vulnerability, thus addressing and transforming the underlying structures and drivers of insecurity within countries.

Key takeaways from CAF21:

1. Place people at the center. Focus on people’s needs, and the specific contexts, when tailoring interventions accordingly. The climate-security nexus should be a central part of local peacebuilding and development programming, given the links between climate and conflict, including competition over natural resources, and its impact on vulnerable communities.
2. Creative partnerships. Amplify local adaptive strategies for peace operations and identify entry points for turning competition over fewer resources into opportunities for more collaboration. Partnerships with civil society and local peacebuilders, particularly with women and youth organizations, will enable a more locally-owned approach.
3. Be more catalytic. Be more catalytic in peacebuilding, social cohesion and local development, including engaging more with public-private and local civil society initiatives.