adelphi and ICCCAD hold climate fragility roundtable in Dhaka
On 19 November in Dhaka, adelphi partnered with the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) to hold a roundtable and discussion on climate change and fragility risks in South Asia.
The consultation dialogue event, which took place at the Ascott Palace Hotel, was convened in the framework of the Climate Diplomacy Initiative (supported by the German Federal Foreign Office). The goal was to deepen the understanding of national and regional concerns and priorities and best practices in the face of climate change-related security impacts, as well as to discuss potential strategies and solutions relevant to the South Asian context.
There were 31 participants from academia/research organisations, international and national NGOs and civil society organisations, donors and international and multilateral organisations. They highlighted two key climate-fragility risks in particular.
First, management of transboundary water resources. The countries of South Asia often rely on the same water supply and there is real potential for disagreement over supply. At the moment, each country tends to put its own political priorities first even though joint river basin management is the best way to meet everyone’s needs.
Second, climate-induced migration, especially from rural to urban areas. Dhaka receives over 1,000 migrants a day, and Bangladesh is also hosting Rohingya populations in the southern part of the country, where anti-migrant sentiment is growing among communities who themselves are negatively affected by climate change impacts.
Regional experts picked out improved education as one of the most important responses. Education is a means to give youth—especially girls—the tools and capacities they need to address these issues in the future. Any policy interventions must also take into account political economy dynamics and power relations: marginalised people living in poverty will struggle to take effective climate action.
adelphi Senior Project Manager Dr. Beatrice Mosello presented the Climate Security Expert Network (CSEN)'s South Asia risk brief, while Senior Project Manager Lukas Rüttinger gave welcome remarks alongside Dr. Saleemul Huq of ICCCAD, also a member of the CSEN.
COP24: What Does it Mean for Cities and Regions?
What outcomes do the agreements achieved at COP24 hold for cities and regions? Despite the decisive part the so-called non-state actors play in achieving the international climate goals, their role hasn't been formally recognized by the UNFCCC.
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, concluded in October 2016, has entered into force on January 1st, 2019. Its 65 signatories are now on the fast track to significantly reducing the use of harmful greenhouse gases in the production of cooling devices, representing a major step towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. After a season of unsatisfying climate negotiations, the amendment's implementation marks a time of action and reminds the international community why climate diplomacy ultimately pays off.
Refining the UN’s Approach to the Water-Security Nexus
In many ongoing armed conflicts, water has been used as a weapon of war, but it can also be a strong instrument of peace.
Will climate adaptation move us toward peace?
Climate adaptation has been praised for its potential for contributing to peace. It is highlighted for the potential to remake systems and equip the world to better cope with the impacts of climate change. However, these remain hopeful claims until rigorous research is done on how this might take place and what type of peace we might expect to result from the implementation of climate adaptation.