Climate Diplomacy Podcast

Climate Diplomacy

The Climate Diplomacy Podcast gives insights into the latest developments in international climate diplomacy and security. Our hosts Raquel Munayer and Alexandra Steinkraus interview experts and practitioners on their take on climate foreign policy, climate-related impacts to security, and promoting peace and resilience in a changing climate. Together we look into climate-fragility, migration, food insecurity, gender dynamics and much more, not to mention our deep dive into countries and regions. For more information, please visit climate-diplomacy.org or follow @ClimateDiplo on Twitter.

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Episode 38: Reconnecting people to their power: Transitional justice and 'cosmovisión' in Colombia

Episode 38: Reconnecting people to their power: Transitional justice and 'cosmovisión' in Colombia

Colombia faces multiple challenges - from a complex peacebuilding process after more than 50 years of armed conflict to growing climate change impacts on its natural resources. Disputes over land use and governance have been at the heart of Colombia's struggle, and while everyone has been affected by it, indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities take a particularly high toll. This episode addresses the importance of considering environmental factors in pursuing victim-centred and community-based approaches to transitional and restorative justice. It also discusses lessons from the Colombian case for the international humanitarian justice system. Tune in for compelling insights from regional experts Valeria Patricia Moscoso Urzúa (Justice Rapid Response) and Héctor Morales Muñoz (adelphi).This episode was produced in cooperation with Justice Rapid Response.*The acronym JEP, mentioned several times in this episode, means 'Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz' (=Special Jurisdiction for Peace)Related resources: Report 'A Dangerous Climate' Watch explainer on how climate and land issues relates to Colombia's armed conflict (Spanish/English)

Episodes

Episode 38: Reconnecting people to their power: Transitional justice and 'cosmovisión' in Colombia

Episode 38: Reconnecting people to their power: Transitional justice and 'cosmovisión' in Colombia

Colombia faces multiple challenges - from a complex peacebuilding process after more than 50 years of armed conflict to growing climate change impacts on its natural resources. Disputes over land use and governance have been at the heart of Colombia's struggle, and while everyone has been affected by it, indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities take a particularly high toll. This episode addresses the importance of considering environmental factors in pursuing victim-centred and community-based approaches to transitional and restorative justice. It also discusses lessons from the Colombian case for the international humanitarian justice system. Tune in for compelling insights from regional experts Valeria Patricia Moscoso Urzúa (Justice Rapid Response) and Héctor Morales Muñoz (adelphi).This episode was produced in cooperation with Justice Rapid Response.*The acronym JEP, mentioned several times in this episode, means 'Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz' (=Special Jurisdiction for Peace)Related resources: Report 'A Dangerous Climate' Watch explainer on how climate and land issues relates to Colombia's armed conflict (Spanish/English)

Episode 37: Roots for peace: Bringing together diverse stakeholders for an inclusive response to climate and insecurity in Haiti

Episode 37: Roots for peace: Bringing together diverse stakeholders for an inclusive response to climate and insecurity in Haiti

Haiti is facing a deep security, political and humanitarian crisis and is simultaneously one of the most vulnerable countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to climate change. Rising temperatures and declining rainfall have intensified drought and climate-related storms are growing more intense, causing devastating flooding. By adversely impacting livelihoods, food security, water scarcity and health conditions, climate change is exacerbating the current multifaceted and complex crisis grappling the country.In this episode, we bring together the researchers behind the Roots for Peace report to discuss experiences conducting the study, setting up the Haiti Climate Security Working Group and share with the broader research community, the lessons learnt while doing so. We also take a look at the main pathways of climate and insecurity in Haiti identified in the study, recommendations and next steps. Join us for this insightful conversation with Paule Juneau (UNEP Haiti), Beatrice Mosello (adelphi) and Jessica Hsu (Haiti-based researcher & anthropologist).Discover the "Roots for Peace" report: adelph.it/WRHaiti

Episode 36: Climate, peace and security in Yemen: How deteriorating rights of women and minorities affect the whole of society

Episode 36: Climate, peace and security in Yemen: How deteriorating rights of women and minorities affect the whole of society

Since 2014, Yemen has been ravaged by civil war. Our guest today - Yemeni journalist, writer and activist Hind Al-Eryani - brings to light how the war is impacting the lives of women, children, LGBTQ+ communities and religious minorities. Hind explains how women's righs have benn deteriorating in Yemen, and the ways in which this affects society as a whole, for example by hindering climate adaptation. We look into the impacts of climate change on resources, particularly water, and how this fed into insecurity dynamics in the lead up to the conflict, and we discuss whether Germany's feminist foreign policy approach can spill over to women affected by climate change in insecurity worldwide.

Episode 35: Damage control: Unpacking rules and recommendations to protect the environment during armed conflict

Episode 35: Damage control: Unpacking rules and recommendations to protect the environment during armed conflict

So much can be said about how war and conflict disrupt the environment. The effects on human lives are excruciating and long-lived, making environmental protection a priority for human security - even in armed conflicts. On this International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War, we’ve partnered with PAX to put together an episode looking at how rules and recommendations can help protect the environment in armed conflict under international law and create precedents for prevention. Join our guests Wim Zwijnenburg (PAX) and Helen Obregón Gieseken (ICRC) for this exciting conversation.

Episode 34: SPECIAL EDITION: Displacement, migration and how funding can reach those who need it

Episode 34: SPECIAL EDITION: Displacement, migration and how funding can reach those who need it

COP28 is around the corner, and everyone wants to know: how will the conversations around finance for climate-affected states, which officially kicked off in Sharm El-Sheikh last November, pick up in Dubai? In this special edition of the #ClimateDiploPod, we go on a deep dive on climate, development and humanitarian funding with Andrew Harper, Special Advisor on Climate Action to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Together, we look into the current state of so many displaced communities around the world, speak about some of the issues standing on the way of finance reaching affected communities, and why finance distribution and use is fairer and more efficient when women, youth and indigenous communities have access to it.

Episode 33: Integrating climate security in peacebuilding: Meet the Weathering Risk Peace Pillar

Episode 33: Integrating climate security in peacebuilding: Meet the Weathering Risk Peace Pillar

The Peace Pillar initiative, launched in 2022, is sharing and elevating evidence-based recommendations in mainstreaming climate-security to support sustainable peace processes on the ground. It is guided by the analytical approach of Weathering Risk and translates climate-security foresight and analysis into peacebuilding action where it’s needed the most. In this episode, you will hear from Peace Pillar project partners on how the project is being implemented in Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria and the Bay of Bengal.Discover the Weathering Risk Peace Pillar

Episode 32: Farmer-herder conflicts: Climate change is the straw that broke the camel’s back

Episode 32: Farmer-herder conflicts: Climate change is the straw that broke the camel’s back

If you work with climate, environment, development, humanitarian assistance or adjacent areas, you have certainly come across this particular type of conflict. But is climate change and environmental degradation really to blame? Join our hosts, Raquel Munayer and Alexandra Steinkraus, in a chat that looks into the post-colonial elements influencing conflicts between farmers and herders, where climate and environment come in, and what are climate-sensitive options for building sustainable peace.

Episode 31: From advocates to experts: Youth leadership on peace, gender and migration

Episode 31: From advocates to experts: Youth leadership on peace, gender and migration

In this episode, we are joined by Khouloud Ben Mansour, African Youth Ambassador for Peace with the African Union for North Africa and activist for women's and children's rights from Tunisia, to discuss migration, youth and gender in North African and beyond. We cover drivers of migration in the region, gender-based risks, and how to move beyond beyond giving marginalised groups a seat at the table. The conversation also delves into what it means to be a youth ambassador, the importance of youth as experts, peacebuilders and in spaces like COP28 as well as highlights from Tunisia's recent chairmanship of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union Commission. Learn more about climate change and security in North Africa.

Episode 30: A sea of opportunity: Climate justice, grassroots movements and interregional cooperation in the Caribbean

Episode 30: A sea of opportunity: Climate justice, grassroots movements and interregional cooperation in the Caribbean

In this episode, Christianne Zakour, Advocate for Environmental Governance and Climate Justice, joins us to discuss shared challenges amongst Small Island Developing States, the potential for more interregional knowledge sharing and climate justice. She shares insights from her work in the Caribbean and the Caribbean Tree Planting Project and her recent term as a steering committee member of the UNEP Major Group of Children and Youth. Tune in for her thoughts on the recently passed landmark UN resolution for climate justice and what this could mean for progress in the coming years. Learn more about the Caribbean Tree Planting ProjectMore information about climate fragility in the Caribbean

Episode 29: Resilience gone wrong: Maladaptation as a side-effect of neglecting climate vulnerability

Episode 29: Resilience gone wrong: Maladaptation as a side-effect of neglecting climate vulnerability

Join our hosts, Raquel Munayer and Alexandra Steinkraus, for a conversation on how maladaptation makes communities even more vulnerable, rather than less, to climate change. Insights from Afghanistan, Colombia, Mali and the Pacific illustrate ways that negligence and poorly planned policies can lead to increased climate security risks, strengthened criminal networks, bolstered recruitment and support for armed opposition groups, and increased conflict between communities. They also highlight the need for timely action that is climate, conflict and context sensitive.Find out more: weatheringrisk.org adelph.it/DangerousClimate

Episode 28: News from the frontline: Why narrative matters when reporting on the climate-conflict nexus

Episode 28: News from the frontline: Why narrative matters when reporting on the climate-conflict nexus

Reporting on the climate and environmental crises is increasingly a risky endeavour – even more so where insecurity and conflict are present. Environmental Journalist and Consultant Peter Schwartzstein spoke about the perils of covering the climate-conflict nexus in places like Syria and Iraq, why concise narratives matter for boosting action, and what he is up to in his upcoming book ‘The Heat and The Fury’.

Episode 27: HoP(ping) into the new year: A 2023 outlook on climate, peace and security

Episode 27: HoP(ping) into the new year: A 2023 outlook on climate, peace and security

Join us for a conversation with our Heads of Programme (HoPs) for Climate Diplomacy and Security, Janani Vivekananda and Benjamin Pohl, as we reflect on highlights from 2022 – from the launch of the Climate for Peace Initiative at BCSC 2022 to the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 – and identify developments to watch (and be hopeful about) for 2023. All eyes are on actions that will better multilateral cooperation and local-informed action, and drive peace positive climate action. Videos worth watching:Launch of the Climate for Peace InitiativeOfficial side event on Climate for Peace at COP27 Creating a Climate for Peace at COPBest of BCSC 2022

Episode 26: Revisiting roles: The evolution of climate, peace and security in the UNSC and beyond

Episode 26: Revisiting roles: The evolution of climate, peace and security in the UNSC and beyond

In this episode, we speak with Hafsa Maalim, one of the panel discussants at the 29 November UNSC meeting on climate, peace and security, to discuss the evolution of the understanding of Climate, Peace and Security (CPS) in the Security Council and how increased awareness of how climate, security and peacebuilding interact can offer a basis for additional tools and entry points to better achieve its mandate. She discusses how well-intentioned initiatives can actually meet the needs of communities, the importance of explicit mandates and reflects on the next steps in the CPS debate in the new year. Further links: Watch the Arria-Formula meeting on Climate, Peace and SecurityMore information about the Climate for Peace Initiative

Episode 25: BCSC and beyond: Looking back at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference 2022

Episode 25: BCSC and beyond: Looking back at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference 2022

In this episode, Alina Viehoff joins one of our hosts, Alexandra Steinkraus, to discuss all things BCSC. As members of the organising team, together they discuss the key takeaways—from the need for better financing to the importance of inclusivity, equity and diversity, the Launch of the Climate for Peace Initiative and how to channel this agenda for action in support of an ambitious and successful COP27. Further links:Watch the livestreamed and digital sessions | Climate for Peace Initiative | BCSC Conference Summary

Episode 24: Eco wars & wasted havens: can international environmental law curb the impacts of conflicts on nature?

Episode 24: Eco wars & wasted havens: can international environmental law curb the impacts of conflicts on nature?

In this episode, we are joined by Philippa Nuttall for a conversation on the impacts of war and conflict on nature, and about what can and is being done in the realm of international environmental law to counter-act these issues. She tells us about the weaponization of the environment in Ukraine, which has been ongoing already since 2014, discusses the concept of eco wars, and shares her thoughts on the development of international environmental law.Learn more about the environmental impacts of war and conflict in the joint WWF-adelphi report 'The Nature of Conflict and Peace'.

Episode 23: Anticipating risk: applying foresight to tackle disaster-induced food insecurity

Episode 23: Anticipating risk: applying foresight to tackle disaster-induced food insecurity

Beyond its reactive role as a humanitarian agency, the World Food Programme (WFP) looks increasingly to preventative and anticipatory measures to hinder and reduce the impacts of climate-related disaster. Gernot Laganda, Chief of Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction at the WFP, brings some lessons from the field, suggest strategies to increase the resilience of food systems, and lets funding partners what they can do to support integration across programmes.

Episode 22: Syria's poisoned earth: how war impacts the environment and the lives that depend on it

Episode 22: Syria's poisoned earth: how war impacts the environment and the lives that depend on it

It seems counter-intuitive to talk about environmental issues in Syria, in the face of overwhelming human suffering. Yet, human life requires functioning ecosystems, and over 10 years of war has left Syria's water and land in shambles. This episode's guest, Loujein Haj Youssef, Editor-in-Chief at the independent Syrian news platform Rozana Radio, conducted an investigation into the specific environmental impacts caused by several parties involded in the war, and what the concrete consequences are for the local population today and in the future. You can read the full article on the investigation here.Learn more about the environmental impacts of war and conflict in the joint WWF-adelphi report 'The Nature of Conflict and Peace'.

Episode 21: Who's not at the table? Intersectional environmentalism, climate justice and why it's worth fighting for Utopia

Episode 21: Who's not at the table? Intersectional environmentalism, climate justice and why it's worth fighting for Utopia

In this episode, we discuss feminist foreign policy, intersectional environmentalism, climate justice and how they are all interrelated. We offer a deep-dive into feminist foreign policy and feminist climate policy and explore why they´re important in light of climate security and climate justice. Finally, we speak about activism and why it´s worth fighting for Utopia. Interviewee: Sheena Anderson, Project Manager, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy

Episode 20: When a country mandate includes climate language: lessons from UNSOM

Episode 20: When a country mandate includes climate language: lessons from UNSOM

In this episode, we discover what happens when the UN includes climate and environmental risks into a country mandate. Somalia is one of the first political missions to have climate and environmental language included in its mandate – and language has power. As a result, Somalia is the ground for several climate initiatives, ranging from risk assessment to capacity-building. One of the most pioneer initiatives includes the introduction of a Climate Security Advisor – the first of its kind in the UN system, a role fulfilled by this episode’s guest Christophe Hodder.For an overview of the activities and initiatives UNSOM has implemented in order to address the links between climate change, environment and conflict, access: https://adelph.it/UNSOMclimFor an overview of projected climate parameters and related impacts on different sectors from now until 2080, access: https://adelph.it/WRSomalia

Episode 19: Regional cooperation for climate security: a look into the Horn of Africa

Episode 19: Regional cooperation for climate security: a look into the Horn of Africa

In this episode, we speak with Ayan Mahamoud, Senior Coordinator of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional economic community with eight member states in the Horn of Africa. She walks us through some the region’s key climate-related risks to peace and security, and how IGAD is working to address these risks within the regional security cooperation framework. Ayan highlights success stories and some of the areas where investments and improvements are still needed to boost the region’s security and development.Download CSEN’s Horn of Africa policy paper