Researchers are exploring how climate change affects communities embroiled in conflict and have discovered that many countries most significantly impacted by these issues are being neglected.
“Engaging with individuals who lost their land and preparing for these situations made me realize the tight link between conflict and climate change,” shared Ms. Luisa Bedoya Taborda, who dedicated numerous hours to tracking down land records and talking to communities affected by conflict to advocate for their land rights.
She led a research study investigating the connection between climate change and conflict, including civil wars, highlighting that regions in South America, Oceania, and Southeast Asia are often overlooked. This study, published in WIRES Climate Change, analyzed over 212 academic papers covering a span of 15 years (2007-2023). The findings indicated that while many researchers focus on how climate impacts can trigger conflict, there is less examination of how climate effects influence communities already facing conflict or those engaged in peacebuilding efforts.
This is concerning, especially since in numerous communities in Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines, climate-related events such as typhoons, floods, droughts, and coastal erosion are escalating social and political tensions, frequently igniting or worsening conflicts.
The researchers emphasize the necessity for peacebuilding initiatives and climate change mitigation strategies in vulnerable areas to be coordinated, rather than operating separately.
Significant viewpoints were also missing from most of the reviewed research on the intersection of climate change and conflict.
“A lot of these studies are published in English, while research available in Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, and other languages is not sufficiently represented in current databases, leading to gaps in crucial perspectives and comprehension of these situations,” remarked Ms. Bedoya Taborda.
Researchers caution that this lack of comprehensive understanding could adversely affect Australia’s humanitarian responses by hindering the effectiveness of its economic assistance, peacebuilding initiatives, and climate adaptation programs.
“Instability caused by climate issues in nearby countries could lead to security challenges, migration pressure, and humanitarian crises in Australia, and these topics are not adequately researched,” noted Associate Professor Michele Barnes, a co-author of the study from the University of Sydney along with Professor Tiffany Morrison from James Cook University.
“I was assisting communities in Colombia grappling with climate change repercussions such as droughts and floods while also facing conflict. The lands that were either abandoned or taken from them, which I aimed to help recover, were also severely affected by climate change,” shared Ms. Bedoya Taborda. She relocated to Australia in 2022 to pursue a master’s degree at James Cook University, and two years later, she is beginning a PhD on this subject at the University of Sydney’s School of Project Management, Faculty of Engineering.
“It’s quite complex because we still don’t really know how to assist communities dealing with these simultaneous challenges.”
“Our review revealed a significant gap regarding the situations faced by communities already dealing with conflict. Consequently, these communities are left to navigate two major, intertwined crises without adequate support,” Ms. Bedoya Taborda, who spearheaded the study during her master’s program, stated.
The researchers discovered that stress induced by climate change is worsening existing social and political tensions, often leading to the outbreak or escalation of conflicts.
One example provided by the researchers is Nepal in Southern Asia. The country initiated a peacebuilding process following a decade-long civil war. However, while aiming to reduce poverty and enhance livelihoods, communities in Nepal continue to struggle due to the underlying issues from the civil war alongside the pressures of climate change. Significant deforestation in the Midland region has led to wood and food shortages.
This kind of climate and security crisis in regions neighboring Australia could result in a growing demand for humanitarian assistance, support for migration, and enhanced diplomatic and security interventions.
“There is an urgent need to investigate how climate change affects communities already in conflict so we can more effectively frame policies and projects that tackle these intertwined challenges, promoting both climate resilience and lasting peace,” Dr. Barnes stated.
