A new book on environmental challenges related to water scarcity and biodiversity degradation in Iraq is published early this year. Planetary security Initiative interviewed the author, Khaled Sulaiman, to know more about his book, his views on Iraq's upcoming challenge and the role of journalism in bringing different actors together to develop long-term solutions.

A new policy paper by the Climate Security Expert Network and European Institute of Peace explores climate – conflict nexus in the Horn of Africa. The study summaries the science on the linkages between climate change and violence in the region, and presents an overview of how the EU and other European actors are approaching climate-related security risks in the Horn of Africa.

Climate change affects clearance activities of mines and cluster munition which requires improved collaboration and understanding of climate vulnerability. The Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS) indicates three ways in which climate change affects the work of local mine action organizations.

The southern region of Iraq is expected to be affected by the rising sea levels caused by climate change. Three projected scenarios simulating the impact on communities and infrastructure are examined in this article. The author proposes adopting nature-based solutions and modern technology to prepare and educate communities affected by the sea-level rise.

On Wednesday, 8 July 2020 Planetary Security Initiative (PSI) hosted an interactive webinar "Iraq: Climate, water & Conflict in 2020" where we discussed climate and water security in Iraq in 2020 against the current political and security situation. The focus was on what can be done to reverse the situation and finding sustainable solutions on the management of natural resources. Here we summarise the main points of the discussion.

New policy report by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) explores how people in Mali, Central African Republic and southern Iraq experience the combined consequences of armed conflict and climate risks, and how they cope and adapt. It also discusses how the ICRC, and the humanitarian sector in general, must adjust and adapt to address these risks.

Iraq is among the most vulnerable countries in the region when it comes to climate change and water scarcity. Over the last two decades, the situation deteriorated dramatically, affecting health and livelihoods in the South. The COVID-19 health crisis, in conjunction with a collapsed oil price, further strains livelihoods and perspectives in the region. Join our webinar on 8 July where we discuss climate & water security in Iraq against the current political and security situation.

The Water, Peace and Security (WPS) Partnership launched an early warning tool to predict conflict over the coming 12 months in Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia. By employing machine learning, the tool has captured so far 86% of future conflicts, successfully forecasting more than 9 in 10 “ongoing conflicts” and 6 in 10 “emerging conflicts.” Read more about the tool and potential hotspots here.

The Inter collectivité du Sourou developed an Integrated and Sustainable Development Programme (ISDP) that defined concrete actions to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Sourou river plain in Mali. A new policy brief by the Clingendael Institute outlines how the effective decentralization of power was achieved through an inclusive rather than a ‘rubber stamp’ approach.