Spreading Disease, Spreading Conflict? COVID-19, Climate Change and Security Risks

Author(s)
Mosello, B. , Foong, A. , König, C. , Wolfmaier, S. & Wright, E.
Publication language
English
Pages
29pp
Date published
02 Oct 2020
Publisher
The Climate Security Expert Network
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
Conflict, violence & peace, Disaster preparedness, resilience and risk reduction, COVID-19, Epidemics & pandemics, Environment & climate, Livelihoods, Poverty, Climate Action (SDG)
Organisations
Adelphi Values
Link
https://www.climate-diplomacy.org/publications/spreading-disease-spreading-conflict-covid-19-climate-change-and-security-risks

he COVID-19 pandemic has profound global impacts. While all countries have been affected, the pandemic is hitting those that were already struggling with poverty, conflict and the impacts of climate change especially hard. This report seeks to explore these dynamics.

At the intersection of health, climate, and conflict risks, the paper identifies four key pathways through which COVID-19 can exacerbate climate-related security risks:

  • Increased pressure on livelihoods and resources.
  • Reduced effectiveness of migration as an adaptation strategy.
  • Weakened conflict responses and increased opportunities for non-state armed groups.
  • Increased risks in urban environments and violent protests.

The pandemic offers another opportunity to talk about how interconnected risks, including those created by climate change, can contribute to insecurity and conflict. Taking these risks and the interconnectedness into account is essential not just to build back, but to ‘build back better’.

This report therefore recommends a number of entry points that governments should take to respond to these evolving risks, and to ‘build back better’ both from the pandemic itself and the climate crisis.

Authors: 
Mosello, B. , Foong, A. , König, C. , Wolfmaier, S. & Wright, E.