Climate changes threaten human security of communities due to its impact on global-disease patterns. In turn, this has economic and political consequences. Improving the resilience of water resources to extreme weather events can mitigate these trends.

A new report by the United Nations University aims at supporting the UN, its partners and member states in developing climate-sensitive conflict prevention approaches. The report recommends to focus, for example, on indirect impacts, governance, inequality and maladaptation issues. The publication presents two case studies from Bangladesh and Nigeria.

A study by Social Inquiry, in partnership with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and the Norwegian Refugee Council, analyses how environmental degradation and governance challenges contribute to displacing farmers in Iraq. The analysis demonstrates that water scarcity in three southern Iraqi provinces is a major trigger of displacement and instability.

What is needed to fully tackle the complex challenges around environmental dimensions of armed conflicts? Civil society, affected states and experts have struggled with this essential question for decades. This briefing note elaborates on the latest insights on this issue as expressed during an informal (Arria formula) meeting on this topic in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Using water as a strategic asset and powerful tool during violent conflict and war is not a new phenomenon. It became particularly relevant in the recent conflicts in Syria and Iraq where water resources have been used as a weapon, water infrastructures targeted and the provision of water supplies turned into a recruitment tool.

The Horn of Africa is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as droughts and floods. This policy paper provides regional analysis of environment, peace and security linkages with specific focus on water security and governance. The paper presents entry points for the international community to address the multi faceted risk landscape in the Horn of Africa.