Training on climate change and security for young diplomats

Climate change is one of the core international challenges of the 21st century. It can drive social upheavals and threatens livelihoods, stability, and prosperity. Ambitious climate diplomacy is therefore an important contribution to global peace.

For the programme Energy Security and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa, lead by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), adelphi conducted a three-month training on climate change and security for young diplomats and university students from the region. In this training, the young diplomats from Cameroon, Kenya, South Africa and Chad acquired in-depth knowledge of the security risks of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world. At the same time, they were able to develop political approaches to solve various problems in a playful and interactive environment. The training addressed the causes and consequences of climate change for the availability of water or fertile land, as well as geopolitical implications such as the links between climate change, displacement and armed conflicts.

The training comprised an online-based preparatory course, including a couple of webinars and several homework assignments, as well as a three-day training with adelphi's experts in Cameroon. The preparatory course served to provide a solid basic knowledge and brought participants to a common level. It focused on a simulation of the negotiations at the United Nations Security Council, which considers climate risks in 2020.

adelphi was responsible for developing a target group-specific curriculum, for the elaboration of the modules, the moderation of the on-site training and coordination of the online preparatory course. adelphi's experts were able to draw on long-standing experience in the field of climate change and security and have conducted numerous training programmes, in particular on foreign and security policy, environmental change, conflict analysis, and peacebuilding.