Why we need a climate security course-correction for stability in the Sahel
Publication year
Resource type
UNCCD Library
Material Type
news article
by Janani Vivekananda (adelphi)Johanna Dieffenbacher (adelphi)
Not only is the Sahel highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, but it is also one of the regions where climate change is most likely to undermine security and trigger violent conflict. Now more than ever, climate security risks must be effectively integrated into stabilisation and peace operations in order to achieve stability in the region.
On 9 March 2021, Heads of State of the African Union (AU), lead by Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, met to discuss how climate change is a critical part of securing peace across the continent under the landmark “Silencing the Guns” initiative. In the same week, on 12 March, the Informal Expert Group of Members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met to explore the role of the Security Council in addressing climate-related security risks in the Sahel, specifically examining how the UN and the AU could better cooperate on the matter.
The Sahel has been accepted as one of the regions where climate change is most likely to undermine security and trigger violent conflict. Whilst the links between climate change and conflict are neither direct nor inevitable, four pathways through which climate change could increase fragility in the Sahel stand out. Climate impacts exacerbate farmer-herder conflicts, increase tensions related to climate-induced migration, trigger disputes over water resources, and have severe impacts on governance and the proliferation of armed opposition groups.
Stability in a changing climate
At the same time, we have seen an increase in the number of military initiatives aimed at bringing peace and stability to the Sahel region. The plethora of multilateral forces on the ground include the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the G5 Sahel force (JF-G5S) and AU-led mission for Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL). Beside these, there is the French Operation Barkhane, as well as United States, German, Belgian, British and Italian soldiers, both within MINUSMA and in the framework of bilateral agreements with countries of the Sahel.
Despite this increase in stabilisation efforts, troop numbers and defence dollars spent in the region, progress towards stability has been questionable to say the least. The security situation is deteriorating, socio-economic inequalities and environmental degradation are increasing and cross-border risks such as terrorist group movements are on the rise. This is compounded by climate change impacts, such as climatic variability, climate-induced migration and water scarcity, which adversely affect the threats posed due to rising tensions between pastoralists and farmers, high youth unemployment rates, gender inequality, and food insecurity. Read further from the source above
Not only is the Sahel highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, but it is also one of the regions where climate change is most likely to undermine security and trigger violent conflict. Now more than ever, climate security risks must be effectively integrated into stabilisation and peace operations in order to achieve stability in the region.
On 9 March 2021, Heads of State of the African Union (AU), lead by Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, met to discuss how climate change is a critical part of securing peace across the continent under the landmark “Silencing the Guns” initiative. In the same week, on 12 March, the Informal Expert Group of Members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met to explore the role of the Security Council in addressing climate-related security risks in the Sahel, specifically examining how the UN and the AU could better cooperate on the matter.
The Sahel has been accepted as one of the regions where climate change is most likely to undermine security and trigger violent conflict. Whilst the links between climate change and conflict are neither direct nor inevitable, four pathways through which climate change could increase fragility in the Sahel stand out. Climate impacts exacerbate farmer-herder conflicts, increase tensions related to climate-induced migration, trigger disputes over water resources, and have severe impacts on governance and the proliferation of armed opposition groups.
Stability in a changing climate
At the same time, we have seen an increase in the number of military initiatives aimed at bringing peace and stability to the Sahel region. The plethora of multilateral forces on the ground include the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the G5 Sahel force (JF-G5S) and AU-led mission for Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL). Beside these, there is the French Operation Barkhane, as well as United States, German, Belgian, British and Italian soldiers, both within MINUSMA and in the framework of bilateral agreements with countries of the Sahel.
Despite this increase in stabilisation efforts, troop numbers and defence dollars spent in the region, progress towards stability has been questionable to say the least. The security situation is deteriorating, socio-economic inequalities and environmental degradation are increasing and cross-border risks such as terrorist group movements are on the rise. This is compounded by climate change impacts, such as climatic variability, climate-induced migration and water scarcity, which adversely affect the threats posed due to rising tensions between pastoralists and farmers, high youth unemployment rates, gender inequality, and food insecurity. Read further from the source above
Keywords
human security
conflicts
Sahel
pastoralist livelihoods
farmer-herder conflict
gender inequality
food insecurity