Climate-focused mediation and peacebuilding in Iraq

A dry river | Photo © Shutterstock.com / Piyaset

This project focuses on climate-focused mediation and peacebuilding in different districts throughout Iraq.

Timeframe: June 2022 - December 2026

According to UNEP, Iraq is the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change worldwide. Iraq’s vulnerability is mainly shaped by its high exposure to floods, droughts, and dust storms (increasingly linked to temperature and precipitation variability), its dependence on natural resources, and its low adaptive capacity. The impacts of climate change manifest differently across Iraq’s various climate zones and increasingly contribute to tensions not only between tribes and communities, but also between Iraqi provinces. Iraq’s capacities to respond to the impacts of climate change are weakened by years of political and armed conflict within the country.

The project aims to strengthen Iraqi capacities to respond to climate risks and their impact on existing conflict dynamics. Building on the potential of climate concerns as an entry point for peacebuilding and mediation, the project seeks to integrate climate security risks into ongoing peacebuilding efforts. A key component is a climate-conflict mapping and analysis process, designed to improve understanding of how climate change is expected to affect conflict dynamics while also initiating consultation, exchange, and inclusive dialogue among Iraqi stakeholders. In addition, the project raises awareness of the climate–conflict nexus through research, trainings, and knowledge exchange on climate security, mediation, and dialogue. We also facilitate mediation and dialogue processes to foster locally led, inclusive agreements between government authorities and climate- and conflict-affected communities across the country.

Toolkit on climate-focused mediation and dialogue

Drawing on our engagement across different regions in Iraq, we developed a toolkit on climate-focused mediation and dialogue that offers a practical, experience-based approach to addressing the complex links between climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and conflict.

It provides a flexible framework for designing and facilitating climate-sensitive dialogue and mediation processes that are locally led, inclusive, and adaptable to diverse contexts. Rather than prescribing fixed solutions, the toolkit serves as a learning resource and an invitation for continued exchange, reflection, and adaptation across different climate and conflict settings.

Download the toolkit and read more about our impact tackling water scarcity, uniting divided villages by addressing environmental challenges, and facilitating climate security dialogues.

The Weathering Risk Peace Pillar

The Weathering Risk Peace Pillar translates climate-security foresight and analysis into peacebuilding action where it is needed most.

Evidence shows that peace processes can benefit from integrating a climate lens:

Exchange and learning between different regions and contexts can help practitioners and policy makers arrive at better solutions to address these risks:

Partners work across the globe to engage local actors and ensure projects are context specific, informed by a bottom-up approach and locally owned:

Addressing climate security challenges in Iraq

Watch the recording of our event that we co-hosted with Peace Paradigms Org. (PPO) in Erbil, Iraq.

Integrating climate-security risk analysis into peacebuilding efforts

Learn more about how the Peace Pillar is integrating climate-security risk analysis into peacebuilding efforts.

Project lead

Nike Löble
Portfolio and Project Manager
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Team members

Sonja Neuweiler
Christian Gülisch
Kathrin Buddendieck
Hilal Akrami

Media contact

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