Climate Security Research Articles

Watershed Development Programme: A solution to ensure food, energy and climate security of the Country India

Watershed Development Programme: A solution to ensure food, energy and climate security of the Country India

Who talks about climate, peace and security? A social media analysis to identify key global actors

Uncovering key actors within a policy network provides pathways for engagement, consensus-building, partnership development, and understanding the diffusion of knowledge in a given debate. Given the unprecedented scale of the climate emergency, the emerging field of climate security has rapidly gained centrality in academic and policy fora, as well as in the public debate. Yet, a systematic analysis of the main actors engaged in this space is missing. This study draws from digital methods and network analysis techniques to employ a method for identifying relevant actors, focusing on Twitter (now X) from 2014 to 2022, with the objective of systematically spotting the major actors driving and shaping public discussions around climate security. The research also demonstrates how institutions can position themselves within such issue networks through a case study of the CGIAR, the largest publicly funded global research partnership for a food-secure future dedicated to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis that has recently positioned itself in this community. Results reveal that the climate security debate on social media is predominantly institutional, with research bodies and international organizations from the Global North as central elements. While CGIAR is a relatively new actor, it is already centrally located in the network, maintaining strong connections with other major players, which places it in a strategic position to enhance its influence and reach. Understanding this discursive landscape is crucial for institutions and organizations to identify opportunities for effective engagement, partnership, and positioning in such an increasingly salient field of research and practice.

Heat and Hate: Climate Security and Farmer-Herder Conflicts in Africa

Abstract We investigate the impact of climate shocks on farmer-herder violence, using geolocalized data on conflict events for Africa, 1997-2014. We find that a one degree temperature increase yields a 54% increase in conflict probability in mixed areas populated by both farmers and herders (versus 17% in non-mixed areas). Quantifying the impact of projected climate change in 2040, we find that -when factoring in the magnifying effect of mixed settlements- annual conflicts are predicted to rise by a third. Drawing on a fine-grained analysis of groups' mobility patterns, we show that resource competition is a major driver of farmer-herder violence.

Imbuing climate security with positive peace: a peace continuum approach to sustaining peace during climate crisis

Abstract Climate change impacts peacebuilding and is an important topic within the UN Security Council (UNSC). Yet, the UN's member states take conflicting positions on whether climate change should be framed as a security threat or a development issue, and several scholars have warned against its securitization. Introducing a ‘peace continuum’ approach to climate security, this policy paper shifts attention from a ‘for or against’ debate on framing climate change as a security threat, instead considering climate crisis as a call for rethinking security itself. A peace continuum approach connects climate finance and adaptation with a continuum of peace efforts. This broadens the outlook of security to integrate human and ecological security concerns and offers a perspective on climate security that emphasizes ‘positive peace.’ Imbuing climate security with the notion of positive peace resonates with peacebuilding norm developments around the primacy of politics, prevention and adaptive approaches. Grounding the discussion of a peace continuum approach in case-studies from the Horn of Africa, the paper highlights three major developments. First, new networked climate security governance has emerged within and around the UN and UNSC, showing promise for scaling up a peace continuum approach. Second, recognizing climate change as a security issue can enhance commitments to climate finance and adaptation, while finance and adaptation can contribute to peace dividends, including in ‘high-risk’ contexts. Third, regional climate security hubs are emerging as vehicles for regional–international knowledge exchanges, and serve as entry-points for flexible UN support, well suited to shifting peacebuilding trends away from large-scale missions. In a context of geopolitical competition, strained multilateralism and competing priorities, there is no automaticity ensuring the advancement of a progressive climate security agenda—achieving that will require continuous, committed efforts.

The Effect of Managerial Support on Employee Creativity: A Study on Aircraft Maintenance Personnel

This study aims to examine the effect of managerial support on employee creativity in SHY-145 approved aircraft maintenance organizations operating in Turkey and authorized by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A quantitative research method was adopted in the study and a relational survey model was used. Data were collected from 362 technical personnel selected by convenience sampling method. A questionnaire form consisting of three sections was used as a data collection tool, and in addition to demographic information, Manager Support Scale and Employee Creativity Scale were applied. According to the regression analysis results, managerial support has a positive and significant effect on employee creativity. Analyses conducted according to demographic variables revealed that both managerial support and employee creativity variables did not show a significant difference according to gender, marital status, age and professional experience groups. In line with the results of the study, it is recommended that creative leadership training programs should be organized for managers in aircraft maintenance organizations, formal mechanisms should be established where technical personnel can share their creative ideas, performance evaluation systems should be restructured to encourage creative thinking, and regulations should be included in DGCA regulations to encourage creative thinking. In future studies, it is suggested investigating the moderating effects of variables such as organizational culture, technological competence and job security climate and conducting comparative studies covering aircraft maintenance organizations in different countries.

In search of consensus: Examining Global South perspectives on climate security in UNSC debates

In search of consensus: Examining Global South perspectives on climate security in UNSC debates

Evaluating Pakistan's Engagement with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Build Back Better World (B3W): Present and Future Perspectives

In contemporary times, the pursuit of a sustainable geoeconomics policy is now a requirement. Launched in 2013, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims to enhance economic integration through substantial infrastructure development. Announced in 2021, G7’s Build Back Better World (B3W) also concentrates on sustainable development, with a special emphasis on health, climate security and gender equality. Pakistan, positioned at a geopolitical crossroad, as well as a vital component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), stands to be affected by both BRI and B3W initiatives. In tandem, both initiatives complement each other. This research will do a comparative analysis of both projects and will use geopolitical realism to understand the various strategic facets and outcomes as well as underscore the broader consequences of BRI and B3W for global development.

Articulating the Islamic Model of Security and Peacebuilding Mechanisms Amid a Deteriorating Security Climate in Northwest Nigeria

Islamic abstraction of peacebuilding can not be sequestrated from the total experiences within the broader normative developments and comprehensive framework that galvanized the international action that has reimagined the security agenda to focus on human security over the past decades. At the instance of the deterioration of the security climate owing to the protracted menace of armed banditry and other associated crimes in Northwest Nigeria, the UN among other international actors, introduced an integrated peacebuilding approach to deal with security and development issues. This led to the operationalization of peacebuilding in the region. Peacebuilding has been an uphill struggle in the Northwest. Moments of reconciliatory openings have so far ended with a relapse to violent conflict; the amnesty programs in both Zamfara and Katsina states are a clear pointer to this peril. Studies have explained that the failure of both the preventive mechanisms to violent conflicts and the post-conflict reconstruction (peacebuilding structures), is largely due to reasons associated with the lack of an articulate and integrated engagement culture. One that will accommodate the needs of the operating environment taking into cognizance the religion, culture, and history of the social setting. The paper uses the semi-structured interview involving thirty participants from three states in the region; Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara as instrument for data collection. Via the positivists’ research paradigm, the paper analyzes the responses from the research participants (respondents) about the region’s peacebuilding predicaments and thus indicates the foundational- historical, socio-political, and security contexts that made violent conflict resilient. Simply put, the paper amplifies the failure of learning to learn from history. The respondents singled out the distortion of rural sociology as the major trigger. To a tune of almost 100%, the rural economy in the Northwest is agriculture-dependent. Thus, the adage; “noma na duke tshohon ciniki, kowa yazo duniya kai ya tarar”. To forestall the escalation of insecurity, we must begin to search for pathways to restore the pristine rural sociology of the region which was put together by the Sokoto jihad leaders. Nonetheless, the respondents have identified the pathways within the peacebuilding structures and the relative hindrances within them. These include; half-hearted peacebuilding structures and the (dis)articulated Islamic peacebuilding mechanisms. To overcome this drawback, the paper recommends the re-articulation of the Islamic model and its integration into the existing peacebuilding framework.

Enhancing urban resilience: Global expert insights on climate security, mitigation, and adaptive strategies

ABSTRACT This study investigates the intersection of urban security and climate resilience, emphasizing the urgent need to prioritize climate adaptation and mitigation in urban planning. Through a comprehensive global survey of 256 experts across various fields, we uncover a consensus on climate change as a major threat to urban areas, affecting water, ecosystem, health, economic, and food security. Despite this recognition, our findings reveal a significant lack of preparedness and confidence in governmental responses. We highlight the interconnectedness of climate and economic factors, underscoring the challenges in decoupling economic growth from fossil fuel dependency. Furthermore, we explore the potential of smart technologies, such as early warning systems, data analytics, and green infrastructure, to enhance urban resilience. Our study advocates for a proactive and comprehensive approach to climate resilience, emphasizing the need for urban planners to incorporate innovative technological solutions that address both climate adaptation and mitigation. By focusing on these distinct yet interconnected strategies, we aim to foster secure, sustainable, and livable urban environments that effectively respond to current and future climate challenges.

The Russian War Against Ukraine: a Case Study in Climate, Conflict, and Green Recovery

The Russian war against Ukraine, having brought monumental social, economic, and environmental devastation, serves as acompelling case study demonstrating the broader implications of climate crises, underscoring the complex interplay between fossil fuel dependency and geopolitical tensions, and illustrating that the fight for climate justice and the fight for peace are deeply interconnected. Meanwhile, Ukraine has the potential to leverage post-war reconstruction as an unprecedented opportunity for comprehensive decarbonisation and ecological recovery. Examining the limitations of the international climate change regime and exploring controversial aspects of fossil fuel production, this paper highlights the hidden climate costs of war, and investigates the concept of ‘climate change as a battle’ and how it can frame the global discourse on climate security and climate justice. It argues thataddressing climate change is akin to fighting a war, requiring mobilisation of resources, political will, and international solidarity. In this context, Ukraine’s experience offers valuable lessons for the global community as it navigates the complex challenges of post-conflict recovery while simultaneously addressing the urgent need for climate action. With the right assistance, Ukraine could emerge as a front-runner in the global energy transition, inspiring other nations to pursue ambitious climate action even in the face of adversity.

Антропогенне глобальне потепління. Енергетична, екологічна та кліматична безпека

The article is devoted to the analysis of the evolution of the concept of security in the context of modern global warming. The features of three stages of this evolution from energy security to environmental one and further to climate security are considered. It is noted that these stages of evolution correspond to a certain "source base", namely, energy security - to the resources of "primary" bioenergy, environmental security - to fossil fuels, fissile materials and limited renewable energy sources (RES), and climate security - predominantly RES. The presence of a close connection between changes in the "source base" and technological structures - pre-industrial, industrial and modern information - is indicated. Data from the analysis of priorities and practices of energy, environmental and climate security are provided. The features of energy security are considered and ecological imbalance in the biosphere at this stage is indicated, caused by the depletion of energy resources and the growth of anthropogenic load on the environment, which began to exceed its adaptive capabilities. Environmental security is analyzed in the context of modern global warming. The emergence at this stage of the idea of ​​energy transition associated with the replacement of fossil energy resources with renewable energy sources is noted. The features of climate security, the content of which has replaced the agenda of environmental security, are considered. It is noted that the problems of climate security should primarily include issues of adaptation and mitigation of the climate, and secondly - geoengineering climate management. Certain attention is also paid to such an important feature of climate security as its anthropocentrism, which is associated with the anthropogenic nature of modern global warming and the need to solve climate management problems primarily from the standpoint of usefulness for human systems. Keywords: global warming, evolution of the concept of security, ecology, climate, energy supply.

The Importance of a Positive Socio-Pedagogical Environment

The socio-pedagogical environment is defined by the general atmosphere in a class of students/educational institution, being measured from the perspective of six components: the relational climate, the pedagogical climate, the security climate, the justice climate, the evaluative climate and the belonging climate. The general well-being of each student, the positive management of behaviors, collaboration, the school-family-society partnership are just some of the principles of action for the quality of the school climate. A broad, multidimensional construct, school climate indicates, among other things, the quality and character of school life, being the generator of the feeling of safety, of students' school success or failure, when it turns out to be negative. In this context, the role of the teacher, from the perspective of the one who organizes the learning situations, is a particularly important one, as he determines the classroom climate according to decisions, style, practices and interaction with students. At the same time, researchers agree that a school climate characterized by positive interpersonal relationships contributes to increasing the level of student performance and reducing the number of students with adjustment problems. The article aims to present the results obtained following the application of a questionnaire targeting the socio-pedagogical environment among primary school pupils. The obtained data offer the possibility of identifying the positive aspects, which aim to improve the quality of school life, but also the negative ones, the possible problems, for which proposed and implemented actions are required to improve the school climate.

Making a World of Climate Insecurity: The Threat Multiplier Frame and the US National Security Community

Abstract How do dominant framings of climate change and security shape the future trajectory of climate security? This article answers these questions by analyzing the dominant threat multiplier framing of climate change and security in the American national security context. Using the emergent worldmaking concept, it argues that American national security organizations’ intellectual and physical responses to questions of climate security risk creating a dismal and limited future in which national security systems adopt a reactive and managerial posture toward the effects of climate change. The key effect of this frame is to reorient questions of climate and security around the priorities and agendas of national security organizations rather than at the sources of need and instability.

NATO’s actions on the impact of climate change on security

Incorporating the threat of climate change into the security architecture redefines the role of the military and broadens its remit to include responsibilities related to ensuring climate security. In many countries, the military’s involvement in the fight against climate change is seen as essential. The aim of this research is to present the activities of the army in the face of climate change and their impact on the security of NATO countries, as the military’s energy transition is currently one of the key challenges for allied armies. Four diagnostic features were included in the study: adaptation to new environmental conditions, sustainability and zero-carbon, knowledge development and training activities, and partnership cooperation. The diversity of climate strategies in selected allied countries was examined through a comparative analysis and critique of strategic documents on climate change issues and defence energy transition (e.g. army climate strategies and civilian climate strategies). The study will outline the role that the military is slowly beginning to play in the energy transition process. The results may contribute to the discussion on energy transition in NATO armies, as this process is still highly controversial, with not all defence professionals agreeing on the army becoming eco-friendly, and contribute to the wider debate on low-carbon military operations.

Analyzing the European Union’s CSDP and the evolution of European security and defense training at the ESDC: prospects and pathways

ABSTRACT This article presents a thorough examination of the European Union’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) in comparison with the educational programs offered by the European Security and Defense College (ESDC), with a specific focus on the High-Level CSDP Course. We conducted a comprehensive analysis using a meta-synthesis research approach. Our research commenced with a Systematic Literature Review and was further validated through a qualitative case study, which included interviews with the 2023 high-Level CSDP course participants. Our research findings highlight the need to prioritize emerging topics such as climate security and identify new areas in cyber and space domains to potentially expand the CSDP. We emphasized the importance of developing strategic approaches to facilitate the dissemination of comprehensive CSDP knowledge generated by the ESDC to higher education institutions. This initiative aims to equip future EU leaders with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively engage in CSDP-related matters.

Measuring the climate security nexus: The Integrated Climate Security Framework

International, regional, and national organizations, alongside policymakers, are increasingly acknowledging the crucial connection between climate, peace, and security. However, there remains a notable gap in research methodologies capable of fully grasping the intricate dynamics of this relationship. This paper introduces the Integrated Climate Security Framework (ICSF), a comprehensive mixed-methods approach designed to unravel the complexities of climate-human security-conflict connections across various scales. By integrating traditional and innovative research methods, the ICSF aims to provide cutting-edge, policy-relevant insights to address five main measurement challenges of the climate security nexus: multiple pathways; context specificity; non-linearity; multiple actors and scales, and multiple geographic and time scales. By drawing on diverse epistemological perspectives and engaging directly with local communities, the framework offers a comprehensive evaluation of the complex social-ecological dynamics at play. Using Kenya as a case study—a country where climate and security risks frequently intersect and amplify each other—we demonstrate the comprehensive insights the framework offers to address the complex challenges at the nexus of climate, human security, and conflict.

The Impact of Climate-Related Security Risks on Community Values: Insights from Zambia’s Southern Province

Abstract This article explores the impact of climate-related security risks on community values and how that impact influences responses to the risks. Research and practice have paid little attention to how non-material and subjective conditions, especially values, mediate the climate-security nexus. We focused on the impact of land conflicts and food insecurity (as examples of climate-related security risks) on community values through a study of two rural communities in Zambia’s southern province using impact rating, focus-group discussions (FGD s), and interviews. Innovatively, we began by identifying community values and asking about the impact of climate security risks on community values instead of what ‘experts’ perceive or consider to be risks. We found that, firstly, participants from both communities perceived both land conflicts and food insecurity as having a strong to very strong influence on their values. Secondly, women perceive the impact of land conflicts and food insecurity on values to be greater than men do. Thirdly, the perception of the impact of climate-related security risks on values is prevalent among communities in Zambia’s southern province. The article concludes that values are crucial and central determinants in how communities interpret and respond to climate-related security risks, as well as how they engage with food, land, and water systems. It recommends that policymakers and practitioners integrate community values for effective and sustainable climate-related security risk policies and interventions.

The future is only the beginning

Recent advancements in genome editing have captured the attention of scientists and policymakers, who contend that the technology has a large role to play in advancing food and climate security on the African continent. However, the modest results of earlier generations of biotechnology—such as genetically modified (GM) crops—raise questions about the sustainability of new technological interventions. This special feature examines lessons learned from previous generations of GM crops and other agricultural technologies, using them to analyze the portfolio of gene edited crops being developed for African farmers today. In this article, we introduce the 6 papers that make up the special feature by way of examining future-oriented discourses around the advancement of genome editing. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies, political ecology, and critical development studies, this introduction highlights the crucial factors that shape technology development, agricultural practice, and the politics of knowing and emphasizes the need to look toward multiple, diverse futures.

The production of climate security futures in the West African Sahel

Abstract Much has been written and said about the consequences of climate change on security in the West African Sahel. Sceptics argue that claims about the links between global warming and conflict dynamics rest on limited evidence and questionable assumptions. Others work on the institutionalization and operationalization of climate security. This implementation seems inevitable, if slow, difficult, and at times vague, as there is simply no consensus on what climate security implies in practice and what it is meant to achieve. What is climate security, and whose climate security are we talking about? This article analyses climate security as a structure of knowledge and a set of epistemic relationships that inform practices and relationships. It draws on participant observations of a Dakar-based research group that travelled to Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey. At the intersection of research, policy, and programme implementation, this case study provides a unique look into the emergence of climate security relations and practices. The findings point to the rising structural force of climate security and how it can overcome both research uncertainties and sensitive diplomatic relations. The article shows that there is more to climate security than the focus on the conflict-climate nexus lets on.

Drivers of carbon stabilization and sequestration in Brazil’s black soils

Drivers of carbon stabilization and sequestration in Brazil’s black soils