14 Feb 2012 - On Friday 26 Jan 2012, adelphi’s exhibition on "Environment, Conflict and Cooperation" (ECC) has been launched at the World Social Forum with a focus on the civil societal preparation of the upcoming UN environmental conference “Rio+20”. The exhibition was jointly conceptualized by adelphi and the Brazilian environmental organization “Vitae Civilis”. It addresses the question, how climate change, environmental degradation and resource scarcity can be drivers of social and political conflict.

Over the past months, adelphi has developed a regional component for the exhibition together with the Brazilian environmental NGO “Vitae Civilis”. For the presentation in Brazil, the complete exhibition has also been translated into Portuguese. The regional component discusses the interlinkages between water scarcity, food and energy security. Moreover, it addresses the question how climate change could aggravate the existing problems or create new environmental challenges and what impact this will have on the living conditions of the Brazilian population.

The exhibition has been developed at the initiative of the German Federal Foreign Office and will be shown in other Brazilian cities in the course of this year. In parallel, similar exhibitions with regional components have been launched in China, South Africa and India.

For more information on the exhibition on "Environment, Conflict and Cooperation", please visit:
http://www.ecc-exhibition.org/en/project.htm

Source:
Dhanasree Jayaram, MAHE

It’s official: India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2021-22. Previously, the country has adopted a cautionary approach towards climate security. While it may not significantly shift its positions, global realities may trigger more openness, with an eye on multilateralism, rule of law and fairness.

Climate Diplomacy
South America
Central America & Caribbean
Adriana Erthal Abdenur, Igarapé Institute

75 years ago, the UN was born. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the UN looks back at several important achievements, but much work on persisting challenges still lies ahead. Increased UN engagement in three areas can make the region more resilient to future challenges.

Water
Global Issues
Manon Levrey, EPLO

Conflicts connected to water-security are often related to climate change issues. However, the link between water-scarcity-related risks and security challenges is not as straightforward, direct and immediate as often perceived. The online workshop ‘Mobilising decision-makers on water scarcity-induced conflict risks: The Water, Peace and Security Partnership’, organised by the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) and adelphi, looked into this complex relationship.

Conflict Transformation
Environment & Migration
Security
Sub-Saharan Africa
International Crisis Group (ICG)

Insecurity is plaguing north-western Nigeria, due to persistent herder-farmer tensions, rising crime and infiltration by Islamist militants. Federal and state authorities should focus on resolving conflict between agrarian and pastoralist communities, through dialogue and resource-sharing agreements, while also stepping up law enforcement.