Climate security as challenge for German development cooperation

Recent insights into the consequences of climate change draw a dramatic picture for some regions. Based on these findings, several research institutes postulate that climate change will potentially aggravate violent conflict due to increased resource scarcity, increase in potentially disastrous extreme weather events and overtaxing of current governance structures. While the awareness for these issues is generally rising within the international community, a systematic analysis from a development perspective is still unavailable.

adelphi was contracted by the GTZ to provide report on the impacts of climate change on security and conflict from a development policy perspective. The report included recommendations for further action on issues of climate change, security and conflict for the BMZ and GTZ. In addition, adelphi supported the GTZ in developing a concept note on climate change and security for the OECD Development Assistance Committee. Hence, the purpose of the report was to survey the current state-of-the-art from a development perspective and analyse and assessment of available insights into changing climate parameters and increasing environmental stress.