Video: Making peace with the climate

Watch a video of our online event featuring an expert discussion on water conflicts and conflict resolution approaches.

The impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are receiving unprecedented attention at the highest level of governments and international institutions and within the peacebuilding community. Mediators, community leaders and other conflict resolution actors are increasingly aware of the risks and challenges posed by the negative consequences of climate change on habitats and natural resources. While they tend to exacerbate existing conflicts, environmental issues may also serve as entry points for conflict transformation; be it in political dialogue, in crisis management and in capturing opportunities of climate adaptation.

On the occasion of World Water Day, the Berghof Foundation and the European Institute of Peace are teaming up to host an online event that will focus on practical ways in which communities affected or threatened by conflict can draw upon the growing knowledge on climate security to promote dialogue and to prevent and resolve conflicts. With water conflict as a prism, conflict resolution practitioners will share their experiences and lessons learnt while trying to resolve conflicts over water or with water scarcity as an important backdrop. The discussion will also reflect the opportunity of motivating conflict parties to cooperate on shared environmental challenges as an entry point for more comprehensive peace negotiations.

Making peace with the climate: Water crises as entry points for conflict resolution

Monday, 22 March 2021

16-18:00 CET (ical,ics)
Online event via Zoom | Language: English

Opening remarks

• Andrew Gilmour, Executive Director, Berghof Foundation

Keynote (10 min)

• Kai Sauer, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Panel discussion (40 min) and Q&A (20 min)

• Nada Majdalani, Director of Palestine Office, EcoPeace Middle East
• Robert Mardini, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross
• Alexander Rondos, EU Special Representative to the Horn of Africa
• Habiba Sarabi, Member of Afghan Peace Negotiation Team, former Deputy Chair of the Afghanistan High Peace Council

Moderator: Michael Keating, Executive Director, European Institute of Peace

Closing remarks

• Susanne Schmeier, Associate Professor in Water Law and Diplomacy,
  IHE Delft

We are looking very much forward to involving you in the discussion. Please send us your questions via email hidden; JavaScript is required prior to the event or join our discussion on Twitter.

50 Years Berghof Foundation

The Berghof Foundation is marking its 50th anniversary in 2021. This event is part of a series of events we are holding throughout the year to reflect on past and current peacebuilding successes and challenges. The events will identify and look at trends in order to develop tactics that will ensure our efforts towards sustainable peace together with our partners remain effective in the years to come. Find out more on our website and sign up for our newsletters or follow us on Twitter to stay up to date about our anniversary programme.

Media contact

You can reach the press team at:
+49 (0) 177 7052758
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