Climate and conflict are inextricably linked.
While everyone is feeling the effects of climate change, in a conflict context this is amplified. On the one hand, climate change and the resulting increased competition for scarce resources is a conflict driver, while at the same time people in conflict affected settings have less means to deal with climate change and build resilience. This inequality is even higher for women and youth, who are disproportionately affected by climate change.
These linkages between climate and conflict exist at all levels, from increasing interpersonal violence, over societal conflicts (increasing inequalities, local resource competition, impact of shifting mobility patterns etc.), to global debates over equitable financing. At the same time, climate change and environmental degradation present an opportunity to bring people together across dividing lines to address a shared challenge.
Climate & Conflict Resources
Make Space for Peace at COP30
Over the past five years, progress has been made to interlink the global concerns for peace and climate action in international climate fora. Ignoring peace and conflict risks at COP30 may jeopardise effective climate action. The first of its kind, the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace called…
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Make Space for Peace at COP30: Lasting climate action requires lasting peace
Over the past five years, progress has been made to interlink the global concerns for peace and climate action in international climate fora. Ignoring peace and conflict risks at COP30 may jeopardise effective climate action. The first of its kind, the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace called…
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COMITAS II Project Success Stories – From Conflict to Coexistence
The COMITAS II project focuses on mitigating conflicts over natural resources between farmer and herder communities in Adamawa and Taraba States, Nigeria. The project, funded by the European Union and implemented by a consortium including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mercy Corps, and Search for Common Ground (SFCG), aims…
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Carbon Offset in Niger Delta: Scoping Study Report
The “Carbon Offset in the Niger Delta: Scoping Study Report,” funded by the European Union and implemented by Search for Common Ground, SDN, and PIND, examines the potential impact of carbon offset policies in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, focusing on Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States. The study, published in May…
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COP30 – What should be delivered on Climate, Peace, and Security?
The increased frequency and intensity of climate impacts bring with them a higher isk of violent conflict. This is what 3000 respondents to a survey by World Vision International across various contexts ranging from Papua New Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Iraq answered when asked about their…
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Environmental peacebuilding as a climate-security priority for the EU – Examples from the Sahel
The Central Sahel faces interlinked crises of conflict, climate change and fragility, but responses have been fragmented. Environmental peacebuilding offers opportunities to promote cooperation between conflicting groups through climate-sensitive and mutually beneficial projects around natural resources. In this brief, we explore what the EU’s agenda means for environmental peacebuilding by…
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Why climate resilience must be at the heart of peacebuilding in the Sahel
In the Sahel, climate change is not a distant threat. It’s a daily reality that intensifies existing tensions, deepens socio-economic divides, and fuels violent conflict. Rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns aren’t just environmental concerns. They are powerful accelerants of instability in already fragile contexts. At Search for Common Ground,…
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From Conflict to Coexistance – COMITAS II Success Stories
In Adamawa and Taraba States, communities faced recurring conflicts between farmers and herders over access to natural resources. These clashes, often fueled by competition for land and water, strained community relationships, threatened livelihoods, and disrupted peace. The affected communities, already grappling with economic challenges, lacked the tools and platforms to…
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Building bridges across the climate and peace divide: recommendations for successful adaptation
Everywhere in the world, populations are vulnerable to climate change and its effects. However, depending on existing coping mechanisms and availability of support, these effects will be felt differently and have different consequences. In more vulnerable or fragile settings, where people rely on natural resources for survival, tensions can arise…
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Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in The Niger Delta (EU NIGER DELTA)
Overview The project aims to tackle systemic violence and criminality in the Niger Delta through a holistic, community-centered approach involving multiple stakeholders. Key elements include addressing socio-economic drivers, fostering collaboration, and promoting social cohesion. The project leverages the expertise and networks of various partners to implement innovative, bottom-up strategies for…
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