Case studies
Horn of Africa – Regional approach to prevention
Analysis
- Analysis on regional climate-related security risks, including transboundary water issues, land governance and conflict, migration and climate hotspots. Climate Security Advisor deployed to Office of the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, providing support on climate-related security and political risks.
Solutions-design
- Partnering with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and African Union to strengthen regional mechanisms for addressing climate-related security risks.
- Developing recommendations for UNCTs, Resident Coordinators and regional offices to integrate transboundary water management, land governance and climate resilience into programmatic and political interventions.
- Coordination of the UN Comprehensive Regional Prevention Strategy for the Horn of Africa climate and natural resources pillar.
Support to implementation
- Joint programmes initiated with UN-HABITAT, FAO, IOM and UNDP to address root causes of climate-related security risks at several scales: local to regional.
Somalia – Direct deployment of staff to the UN mission
Analysis
- Analysis of climate change and the linkages with conflict to the UN Leadership. The advisor delivers analysis across the Government and the UN system on climate, conflict and environmental approaches. The advisor coordinates and delivers technical advice across the UN, NGO consortiums.
Solutions-design
- Working with the Federal Government, UNEP have supported development of the National Environmental Action Plan.
- UNEP continue to support work around policy formation on National Range Land and a National policy on Forestry and Charcoal management.
- Coordination of the National Water Task Force, designing solutions to water management issues including flood mitigation and drought nature-based solutions.
Support to implementation
- Support to charcoal alternatives through the Proscal Project.
- IOM/UNEP project on breaking the climate displacement cycle.
Sudan – Environmental peacebuilding strategies
Analysis
- 2022: UNEP is contributing to a UNITAMS-led peacebuilding assessment process to examine the environmental and climate-related factors impacting conflict in six states highly vulnerable to climate-security risks.
Solutions-design
- UNEP will use the findings from the assessment to identify and articulate environmental priorities and possibly entry points for peacebuilding in the context of Sudan’s transition and will support the UN system and Government of Sudan to devise actionable environmental and peacebuilding strategies.
Support to implementation
- UNEP is partnering with local organizations and UN partners to deliver actions with co-benefits for environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation and peace, such as through bottom-up approaches to enhance inclusive local natural resource governance structures in North Darfur and Blue Nile.
Palestine – Knowledge- and trust-building
Analysis:
- 2018-20: UNEP engaged with both governments, assessed how protracted conflict and crises, contested environmental governance, population growth, unmanaged urbanization contribute to serious environmental degradation, with impacts on ecosystems and human health. UNEP published SoE report, May 2020.
Solutions-design:
- UNEP asks: Which priority environmental issues are not being addressed/managed? Can UNEP & partners overcome barriers? Which entities must make decisions, facilitate implementation? Could efforts to address priority environmental issues also help to build peace?
Support to implementation:
- Field-based advisory presence is being established to deliver expertise, convene partners, manage and overcome obstacles to implementation;
- Exploring linkages to regional work, for knowledge- and trust-building
Democratic Republic of the Congo – Critical minerals’ extraction and environmental security
Analysis
- Report on links between resource intensity of energy transition and impacts on ecosystems, human security, and geopolitical competition, based on geospatial analysis and case studies.
Solutions-design
- Policy engagement in DRC to integrate biodiversity and ecosystem protection in national mining strategy and regulations, working with UNEP biodiversity unit.
Support to implementation
- Partnering with leading natural resource management NGOs to develop ecosystem-based adaptation project in mining affected communities in DRC, currently seeking $20m funding.
