GSDRC newsfeed on Climate change

Preventing Violence, War and State Collapse: The Future of Conflict Early Warning and Response

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are early warning and response systems prepared for the conflicts of the future? This report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development reviews recent literature on early warning and response to assess their value and their role in the prevention of violent conflict and for peacebuilding. It concludes that early warning and response systems require further support to ensure their future relevance.

Culture is a Basic Need: Responding to Cultural Emergencies

Cultural Emergency Response — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

How do disasters and violent conflict affect culture and cultural heritage? How can policymakers and practitioners seek to protect and preserve culture during humanitarian emergencies? This conference report published by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development argues that any humanitarian emergency is a cultural emergency and any cultural emergency is a humanitarian emergency. Yet, the role of culture and the protection and preservation of culture are largely neglected in humanitarian assistance, emergency preparedness, and post-disaster and post-conflict recovery. There needs to be greater awareness among policymakers and those working in relief and recovery organisations of the imperative of saving culture and greater advocacy and training by international heritage workers to make these issues prominent and well understood.

Scarce Water, Plenty of Conflicts? Local Water Conflicts and the Role of Development Cooperation

Annabelle Houdret — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How can water scarcity lead to conflict? How can these conflicts be avoided? This Policy Brief from the Institute for Development and Peace analyses the causes of water conflict and suggests corresponding policy options. Water allocation often reflects social, political and economic inequalities, especially in countries where water is scarce. Water management is increasingly a question of fair distribution and political legitimacy.

Environmental Scarcities and Violent Conflict: Evidence from Cases

Thomas Homer-Dixon — Sat, 01 Jan 1994 00:00:00 GMT

Could environmental scarcities cause violent conflict? This article from International Security reports on the impacts of environmental change, population growth and unequal distribution of resources. Environmental scarcities are already contributing to violent conflict in the developing world. There are early signs of an upsurge in violence in the coming decades that will be induced or aggravated by scarcity. Poor societies will be less able to protect themselves from environmental scarcities and the social crises they cause.

Climate Change, Human Security and Violent Conflict

J Barnett and WN Adger — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Does climate change increase the risk of violent conflict? This paper from Political Geography integrates three bodies of research on the vulnerability of local places and social groups to climate change, livelihoods and violent conflict, and the role of the state in development and peacemaking. Climate change reduces access to natural resources and undermines state capacity to help people sustain livelihoods. These impacts may in certain circumstances increase the risk of violent conflict, but further investigation is needed.

Climate Change and Urbanisation: Effects and Implications for Urban Governance

David Satterthwaite — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How can municipal governments in low- and middle-income nations to prepare for and adapt to the increasing risks posed by climate change? This paper, published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, indicates that most adaptation to the likely climate change-related dangers over the next few decades fits well within a local development agenda. There needs to be a significant increase in development funding to help local governments adapt to climate change challenges.

Local Governments and Climate Change

A. Deri, M. Alam — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How can local governments address climate change and its effects? This discussion paper from the Commonwealth Secretariat suggests that local governments can play an important role in mitigating the causes of climate change and adapting to predicted challenges through local level policy and citizen engagement. Financial and other capacity development mechanisms need to be diversified to support local governments in this role.

Fragile States: State Building is Not Enough

Louise Anten — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What are the likely future trends for fragile states? What policy implications do these trends have for international actors? This paper from The Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael) examines the reasons for international interest in fragile states and past and future trends in state fragility. It argues that state fragility will probably increase in the coming decades and that focusing on statebuilding is not sufficient to address this problem. Instead, the industrialised states will also have to effectively address external factors leading to state fragility that they themselves are largely responsible for.

The Shifting Face of Violence

Alyson Bailes, Keith Krause, Theodor Winkler — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

How has the nature of violence changed in the post-Cold War era? What can be done to stop, or at least reduce, the potential for increased violence? This policy paper for the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) presents a variety of different perspectives on recent trends in conflict and security. Non-traditional warfare is on the increase, and in the form of terrorism and international crime poses an increasingly complex challenge. Violence has diversified and the potential for it increased. A holistic perspective is needed for both analysis and response.

Climate Change and Human Rights: A Rough Guide

International Council on Human Rights Policy — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How can human rights principles help to focus climate change policymaking? This report from the International Council on Human Rights Policy discusses the human rights impacts of climate change and maps research agendas. Climate change responses can be made more effective if policymakers include human rights thresholds (minimum acceptable levels of protection) when assessing future impacts of climate change and of adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Climate Wrongs and Human Rights: Putting People at the Heart of Climate-Change Policy

Kate Raworth — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What do human rights principles imply for states' responsibilities in tackling climate change? What rights-based policy approaches and actions are needed? This paper from Oxfam argues that rich countries are violating the human rights of millions of the world's poorest people by failing to tackle climate change. Excessive greenhouse-gas emissions cause climatic events which are set to undermine people's rights to life, security, food, water, health, shelter, and culture on a massive scale. Human rights principles must be put at the heart of climate change policy-making and international legal mechanisms must adapt to global interconnectness in order to stop irreversible damage to humanity's future.

Preventing Violent Conflict

DFID — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

How can government development agencies play a part in tackling the problems that contribute to violent conflict? This paper by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) seeks to show how DFID understands and responds to conflict across the breadth of its work. It proposes to place a greater emphasis on resolving conflict before it becomes violent, to make its response to armed conflict more effective by improving its support to peace processes and enhancing the conflict-management capacity of relevant bodies, and to make its development work more �conflict-sensitive�. The paper includes case studies from Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Uganda, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sudan and Yemen.

A Climate of Conflict: The Links Between Climate Change, Peace and War

D Smith and J Vivekananda — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

What are the likely social and human consequences of climate change? Many of the world�s poorest places face a double-headed problem: climate change and violent conflict. This International Alert report finds that in fragile states the consequences of climate change can interact with existing socio-political and economic tensions, compounding the causal tensions underlying violent conflict. It argues that conflict-sensitive climate change policies can promote peacebuilding, whilst climate-proof peacebuilding and development policies can be effective climate change adaptation policies.

Governance, Development, and Democratic Politics: DFID's Work in Building More Effective States

Department for International Development — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

An effective state is the single most important factor in determining whether development progress occurs. This paper, published by the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID), discusses the agency�s approach to governance development and how it works with partner countries and the international development system. Governance work has moved beyond designing stand-alone projects; it now seeks to address how power is held and in whose interests it is used.

Climate Change and Conflict: The Migration Link

N P Gleditsch and I Salehyan — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

This paper from the International Peace Academy argues that climate change is likely to lead to mass exodus from uninhabitable areas, placing significant burdens on migrant receiving areas, although adaptation is more likely than armed conflict in the absence of exacerbating political and social factors. Climate change warrants consideration by the United Nations (UN) as a potential security threat. Responses should include improving disaster preparedness, mitigating the risks of refugee flows, supporting migrant receiving areas and a new UN international agreement on migration.

Sudan Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment Report

United Nations Environment Programme — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

How can Sudan address the critical environmental issues that threaten its prospects for long-term peace, food security and sustainable development? This report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) argues that the sustainable management of the country's natural resources is part of the solution. This requires a deep understanding of environmental issues in the culture, policies, plans and programmes of the Government of Sudan and its international partners.

Media Matters: Perspectives on Advancing Governance and Development from the Global Forum for Media Development

M Harvey — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Why is the media important in development? This report from the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) is the result of a year-long collaboration between media development practitioners and social, political and communications scientists. It asks why media matters, how its impact can be measured, and considers the key challenges across the sector. It argues that independent media are integral to good governance and can also prevent exclusion. Donors must therefore engage with the media sector.

Eliminating World Poverty: Making Governance Work for the Poor

DFID — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

In 2005, rich and poor countries promised more and better aid. Whilst there has been progress, much remains to be done. This White Paper, by the Department for International Development, sets out how the UK government will work with others to deliver these promises. It outlines key commitments in relation to building states that work for the poor, helping people get security, incomes and public services, tackling climate change and reforming the international system.

Investing in Prevention: An International Strategy to Manage Risks of Instability and Improve Crisis Response

Prime Minister's Strategy Unit — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT

How can the UK improve its strategic approach to countries at risk of instability? This paper from the Prime Minister�s Strategy Unit outlines the challenges and risks of instability. It identifies practical steps the UK Government can take to improve its prevention and response strategies in partnership with other international actors. It argues that more effective action will require common or aligned strategic approaches across all countries and key international agencies.

Fighting Poverty to Build a Safer World: A Strategy for Security and Development

Department for International Development — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT

What is the link between security and development? What is the best way to achieve both? This strategy paper by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) outlines how DFID, through its commitment to fighting poverty, can help tackle insecurity among the poor. It explains the complex connections between security and development and sets out how DFID can build security by working with poor people, their governments and international partners.