Climate Diplomacy's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Climate Diplomacy
Climate Diplomacy explores the foreign policy implications of climate change, and the role of diplomacy and its instruments in promoting ambitious climate action.
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
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.
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
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'.
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.
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.
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'.
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
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/UNSOMclim
For an overview of projected climate parameters and related impacts on different sectors from now until 2080, access: https://adelph.it/WRSomalia
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
In this episode, recorded just after the startling assassination attempt of the Libyan prime minister, we discuss climate security risks in Libya and how they are shaped by the country’s complicated political history. We hear how a weak social contract and large administration leave little space for development spending and the private sector, hindering the country’s energy transition. Furthermore, we discuss Europe’s responsibility as a major consumer of Libyan oil, and how it is critical to work on all entry-points in parallel and emphasise co-benefits of climate action for the economy and legitimacy of government.
Interviewee: Matthew Brubacher, former Economic Advisor to the UN Support Mission in Libya.
Read the risk brief here: https://adelph.it/LibyaClimRisk
This podcast episode looks back at progress, achievements and developments regarding climate diplomacy and security throughout the year 2021. It celebrates successes and discusses challenges, focusing on the most relevant and important events such as COP26, the journey of a topical UN Security Council resolution, the EU climate law, BCSC 2021 and many more.
Interviewees: Hannah Elisabeth Kurnoth, Consultant, adelphi; Raquel Munayer, Consultant, adelphi
Further information:
- Berlin Climate and Security Conference 2021 summary and recordings
- Transatlantic Climate Bridge
- COP26 event "Climate, Peace and Stability: Weathering Risk Through COP and Beyond"
This special podcast episode, recorded live at the 2021 Berlin Climate Security Conference, explores how to integrate climate security into mediation and peacebuilding. Our expert panellists highlight a range of issues, including how climate risks can provide an entry point for mediation, how communities must be empowered with knowledge on climate security, and that more integration is needed between international peace building and climate action.
Interviewees: Michael Keating, Executive Director of the European Institute of Peace (EIP) and Janel Galvanek, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Unit at the Berghof Foundation.
Moderator: Janani Vivekananda, Head of the Climate Security and Diplomacy Programme at adelphi.
More information: Live video recording
In this special episode, recorded live at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference 2021, we explore climate-related security risks and entry-points in three key regions: Southern Africa, the Arctic, and the Horn of Africa. We hear from the regional experts Ottilia Anna Maunganidze (Institute for Security Studies), Marisol Maddox (Wilson Center), and Sagal Abshir (The Clean Fight). They highlight what is unique about each region, and what unites them – particularly the need for locally-informed solutions. You can also watch this episode: https://youtu.be/qaVYnj8owGM
The European Parliament issued a resolution on climate diplomacy in 2018. Since then, the policy landscape has evolved rapidly with the development of the European Green Deal, as well as the pandemic and ongoing efforts for a green post-Covid recovery. In this episode, Dennis Tänzler and Daria Ivleva highlight findings of their recent report on EU climate diplomacy, identifying progress made and tasks for the Parliament going forward. Key topics to consider include trade policy and finance, gender equality, and tackling climate security risks.
Read the risk brief here: https://adelph.it/EUclimadiplo
The Arctic is experiencing anthropogenic climate change at three times the global rate of change. Its sea ice minimum reached its second lowest level on record in 2020. Marisol Maddox, author of the CSEN risk brief on the Arctic, walks us through the critical climate-related breaking points the region is experiencing and why it matters for the whole world. She further elaborates on the geopolitical implications of these dynamics, also looking at opportunities.
Read the risk brief here: https://adelph.it/ClimArctic
Climate-induced mobility is more than sudden displacement. It is also a consequence of slow-onset changes, structural shortcomings and governance failures. Luckily, the opportunities for addressing it and adapting to its impacts are just as diverse. Beatrice Mosello and Gareth Price, authors of the report “Rethinking mobility in the face of global changes”, give insights into climate-related mobility, focusing on Central Asia and Bangladesh.
Download the CASCADES report here: https://adelph.it/CascadesMig
South Asia is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. Parts of the region are characterised by a high level of political instability and socio-economic backwardness. This convergence implies that climate change not only undermines human security, but could also heighten conflict risks. On the one hand, the region lacks the resources and capacities to cope with worsening first and second order impacts of climate change; on the other, climate change is increasingly interacting with socio-economic, demographic and political factors to compound fragility risks in the region. Together with Dhanasree Jayaram, author of the Climate Fragility Risk Brief on South Asia and Assistant Professor at the Centre for Climate Studies of Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India, we discuss climate fragility pathways for the region and possible solutions to address them. This episode also highlights, why and how climate change can be a peace-keeping tool and why conflicts in the region can´t be resolved by one country alone.
You can download the Climate Fragility Risk Brief on South Asia here: https://climate-security-expert-network.org/sites/climate-security-expert-network.org/files/documents/csen_climate_fragility_risk_brief_south_asia.pdf
This episode digs into the food insecurity-climate change nexus. It looks at how vulnerable agriculture is to a rapidly and erratically changing climate, but at the same time, how much it contributes to it. We discuss some of the narratives around food security and the environmental systems needed for food production. This episode is a special edition ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021. The summit aims to awaken the world to the fact that we all must work together to transform the way the world produces, consumes, and thinks about food.
In this episode we speak about climate fragility risks in Mali together with Chitra Nagarajan, author of the climate fragility risk brief on Mali.
During the interview, we hear her insights on how climate change is projected to affect Mali and learn more about the five pathways through which climate change impacts fragility in Mali. She also offers recommendations on how to address them. Moreover, as one of Chitra Nagarajan´s focus topics, this episode takes a closer look at gender dynamics with regard to climate security. Chitra Nagarajan is an independent researcher and member of the climate security expert network. In her work, she focuses on civilian protection, climate change, conflict analysis and sensitivity, gender and social inclusion, peacebuilding and human rights, particularly those of women and girls.
You can download her climate fragility risk brief about Mali here: https://climate-security-expert-network.org/sites/climate-security-expert-network.org/files/documents/csen_climate_fragility_risk_brief_mali.pdf
For over 42 years, Afghanistan has endured nearly constant armed conflict, whether in the form of revolution, occupation, extremism or insurgency. This has taken a tremendous toll in human terms, but it has also exerted a powerful brake on the country’s development. Many Afghans are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as a result of their exposure to droughts, floods and other natural disasters as well as their reliance on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as rain-fed agriculture and pastoralism. Meanwhile, the legacy of over four decades of conflict has increased Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate change.
In this episode, we look at Afghanistan and discuss how climate impacts are pushing its multiple burdens to the brink and what the Afghan government and international community could and should do to address the security risks presented by climate change. Our guest is Oli Brown, Associate Fellow at Chatham House and author of the climate-fragility risk brief Afghanistan.
You can download the full risk brief here: https://climate-security-expert-network.org/sites/climate-security-expert-network.org/files/documents/csen_climate_fragility_risk_brief_afghanistan.pdf
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a prime example of how decarbonisation processes interact with geopolitics. China’s support to energy, transportation and industrial projects influence emissions trajectories of the partner countries, and investments often underpin the geopolitical aspirations of China and its partners. The specific projects and geopolitical context vary across the different target countries and regions, and, therefore, so do their potential implications for climate action. This episode looks at China-financed projects in Kazakhstan and seeks to explore the dynamics of decarbonisation and geopolitics.
Interview partner for this episode is Daria Ivleva, author of the MISTRA Geopolitics report “The Belt and Road Initiative in Kazakhstan: Does the geopolitics of China’s outward investments put the brakes on decarbonisation?”.
You can download the full report here: https://adelph.it/BRIReport
The 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 podcast episode seeks to explore these dynamics by interviewing the authors of the Climate Security Expert Network Report “Spreading Disease, Spreading Conflict? COVID-19, Climate Change and Security Risks.” Download the report here: https://adelph.it/COVIDClimFragility
This episode features Adrian Foong, Analyst at adelphi, Beatrice Mosello, Senior Advisor at adelphi, Christian König, Analyst at adelphi, Emily Wright, Consultant at adelphi, and Susanne Wolfmeier, Project Manager at adelphi, discussing the intersection of health, climate and conflict risks and explaining four key pathways through which COVID-19 can exacerbate climate-related security risks.
This podcast features Andrew Gilmour, Executive Director of the Berghof Foundation, and Janani Vivekananda, Senior Advisor at adelphi, in an intimate fireside chat. Moderated by renowned mediator and former diplomat Günther Baechler, they discuss why and how climate change and environmental considerations should be an integral part of conflict analysis and peacebuilding processes. The speakers’ vast experiences seeing first-hand the effects of climate change on conflict dynamics around the world allows for an interesting and lively discussion about climate change in peacebuilding.
The world needs to undergo a deep, transformative change to achieve sustainability. Yet, progress on many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda is lagging while the willingness to cooperate internationally often seems to be waning. Foreign policy must help bridge this gap, ensuring ambition and providing guidance. In this episode of the Climate Diplomacy Podcast, host Martin Wall discusses the role of foreign affairs in the global sustainability architecture with Daria Ivleva, one of the editors of adelphi’s recent publication Driving Transformative Change: Foreign Affairs and the Agenda 2030.
Interviewee: Daria Ivleva, adelphi
Right-wing populist parties are already part of the governments of seven EU member states and are expected to make up a quarter of MEPs after the European elections in May 2019. The dwindling trust of citizens in democratic institutions and in Europe, the re-sorting of party spectrums, the declining influence of traditional popular parties as well as the emergence of multi-party coalitions and minority governments will all make governance increasingly difficult. At the same time, we are experiencing a profound transformation of life, work and mobility through digitalisation, urbanisation and climate change.
In this episode host Martin Wall talks to the authors of an explorative study on the the voices and the weight of right-wing populist parties in the formulation of European climate policy.
Interviewees: Stella Schaller and Alexander Carius, adelphi
The Planetary Security Conference brings together experts, policy makers and politicians from around the world to discuss how best to tackle the security risks of climate change. The conference also reports on progress towards meeting the ambitions of The Hague Declaration which set out an action agenda for the community of practice on climate security. This year we spent some time interviewing some of the participants to get their insights into how climate change affects international and human security.
Interviewees include:
Alexander Carius - Managing Director, adelphi
Dhanasree Jayaram - Assistant Professor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India
Camilla Born - Senior Policy Advisor, E3G and SIPRI Senior Fellow
With climate change increasingly being seen as a security issue, we ask what role the United Nations Security Council could and should play. To answer this question, we are joined on the Climate Diplomacy podcast by UN expert and Chatham House Associate Fellow Oli Brown. In this podcast, Oli explains some of the challenges that the UN Security Council has had in tackling climate change and outlines the prospects for action in the future.
Martin Wall is an Irish Research Council/European Commission funded Marie Curie CAROLINE Fellow who is currently seconded to adelphi and contributes to the Climate Diplomacy Project. He is funded through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 713279.