Climate Conflicts & Environmental Peacebuilding: Intersectional Approaches

Apr 25, 2023 | Inclusive National Security
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"Climate Conflicts and Environmental Peacebuilding: Intersectional Approaches" will take place on April 25th from 12-1 PM ET, and will feature keynote speaker Dr. Erika Weinthal, Professor of Environmental Policy and Public Policy at Duke University. Following Dr. Weinthal’s presentation, we will hear responding remarks from expert discussant Dr. Aubrey Paris, Senior Policy Advisor on Gender, Climate Change, & Innovation in the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues (S/GWI) at the U.S. Department of State.

Their presentations and discussion will explore the complexities of conflicts exacerbated by climate change, and how various groups are impacted disproportionally, with emphasis on water scarcity and water-based conflicts. We will also discuss the value of taking an intersectional approach to these problems, and how it can (or can’t) inform those engaged in developing and implementing programs designed to mitigate harms to the marginalized populations most impacted by climate-related challenges.

Dr. Weinthal will discuss some of her recent work on environmental peacebuilding as a part of the conflict cycle, exploring the impacts of water scarcity during wartime and in conflict-affected regions, the follow-on implications for those communities, and possible interventions. In addition, Dr. Weinthal will share takeaways from her recent contributions to USAID’s “Water and Conflict: A Toolkit for Programming.” Dr. Paris will also briefly share comments from the policy and strategy perspective, discussing how climate intersects with gender and other forms of identity to create both challenges and opportunities, and will then field questions from the audience for a Q&A session.