Enhancing understanding and supporting local-level dialogue to address climate security risks in Iraq

A desert | PHOTO © PIXABAY.COM / _Marion

Building on climate-focused mediation and peacebuilding, the project aims to support local-level dialogue to address climate security risks in Iraq.

Timeframe: September 2022 - September 2023

While the impacts of climate change manifest differently across Iraq, the United Nations Environment Programme estimates that the country is the fifth most vulnerable to climate change worldwide. Combined with long-standing grievances between various communities, weak governance capacities and a delicate power balance of key political stakeholders, the additional pressure of climate change on contested and scarce resources is already exacerbating conflict dynamics.

The project aims at enhancing understanding and supporting dialogue on the local level. It entails an analysis of the climate-conflict-nexus in three different Iraqi districts, which serves to better understand the impact of climate change on conflict dynamics. Building on the analysis and using climate change as an entry point for peacebuilding and mediation efforts, a local-level dialogue platform will be established. The dialogue sessions focus on the impacts of climate change on local conflict dynamics resulting in a local agreement to address one of the pressing issues identified.

Watch our video that raises awareness on climate change and conflict with the local example of Makhmour district.

Watch the video in Kurdish.

Team members

Sonja Neuweiler
Nike Löble

Media contact

Florian Lüdtke
Media and Communications Manager
+49 (0) 177 7052758
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