Promoting peace with climate change adaptation

The international community has been dealing with the complex relationships between climate change, conflict and fragility for nearly ten years. And yet, there is little practical experience in conflict-sensitive climate adaptation or how peacebuilding projects can take climate risks into account.

This project, financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), analysed and highlighted successful efforts for broader implementation and up-scaling. The goal: to find and further develop approaches that strengthen cohesion and resilience among affected populations. The venture focused on international experiences with projects in fragile contexts that combine peacebuilding with climate adaptation, as well as the existing potential to achieve both objectives.

adelphi wrote a thought leadership paper for the project based on three USAID-funded initiatives in the Horn of Africa, with a focus on Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Sudan. We examined these projects for the successful implementation of both climate adaptation and the promotion of peace. Building on this, the paper recommends initiatives that offer a response to climate and conflict risks as well as strengthen local institutions and governance structures.