Highlights:

 

        Creating a koala donut framework:

• Developing a theoretical framework and analysing policy implications within an interdisciplinary team
• Bringing together seminar papers and disciplinary contributions to the Climate Change and Conflict seminar.
• Developing and discussing a common understanding of the links between climate and conflict, and interdisciplinary co-operation and collaboration.
• Raise awareness of the complex relationships between environmental, socio-economic and legal factors influencing conflicts between groups, countries, institutions or individuals.

 

 

 

Contents of the module:

As climate change intensifies, resource scarcity, displacement, and extreme weather events can exacerbate conflicts. By understanding this relationship, we can develop strategies to mitigate violence and promote sustainable peace in an increasingly vulnerable world. Climate change and conflict is an excellent topic for understanding the interplay between environmental factors, socio-economic development and legal frameworks.

 
The focus of the seminar is on legal considerations (legal frameworks, conflict resolution, environmental regulations, climate justice, policy and advocacy), climatic drivers and their impact on agriculture (droughts and water stress, teleconnections, food production, adaptation) and economic consequences (food prices, subsidies, initial socio-economic conditions, poverty). 

 

Learning objectives/competences (also with regard to interdisciplinary learning):

1. Awareness of Interconnectedness: Students should grasp the complex relationship between climate change and conflict, including how environmental factors can exacerbate existing tensions and lead to new conflicts.
2. Environmental Science: Gain a foundational understanding of the science behind climate change, its causes, and its effects on ecosystems and communities.
3. Policy and Law: Understand the legal and policy frameworks at local, national, and international levels related to climate change and conflict mitigation.
4. Case Studies (Middle East, Arab Spring): Analyze real-world case studies to examine how climate change has contributed to conflicts, the responses taken, and their outcomes.
5. Mitigation and Adaptation: Discuss strategies for mitigating the impact of climate change and adapting to the challenges it poses in conflict-prone regions.
6. Critical Thinking: Encourage critical thinking and research skills to evaluate the evidence, assess the validity of claims, and develop well-informed perspectives on the topic
   
   Minor:
7. Geopolitical Impact: Explore the geopolitical consequences of climate change, including its influence on international relations, resource distribution, and security issues.
8. Conflict Resolution: Learn about conflict resolution strategies and negotiation techniques for addressing climate-induced disputes and promoting peace.
9. Ethical and Moral Considerations: Explore the ethical and moral dimensions of climate-induced conflict, including issues of climate justice and the responsibilities of different stakeholders.

Students present their topic individually (15 minutes plus 5 minutes for Q&A) in thematically similar blocks (40 minutes each), and moderate the Q&A (questions, comments, discussion) after each presentation. In between, all participants will work in groups to develop a common understanding of one of the following three topics:

1. overarching concepts, models & theories: How does it all fit together? Can the disciplinary contributions be brought together in an overarching concept or conceptual model, also graphically? Goal: Graphical representation of the connections and dependencies.
2. interdisciplinarity: What does interdisciplinary work mean in the context of conflict research? What challenges arise when experts from different disciplines work together? Objective: Text (200-500 words) or graphic presentation.
3. research gaps: What research gaps can you identify? Which research questions are missing, can only be answered insufficiently or not at all? Objective: Text (200-500 words) or graphic representation 

Interdisciplinary Group Work

As part of an interdisciplinary research study with a focus on economics, law, climatology and geography, the consequences of climate change-related conflicts at the domestic and international level will be analysed.

 
To this end, climate change-related conflicts will first be identified. The geographical conflict situation in connection with climatological events within and outside a state territory will be analysed. In this step, this should initially represent a pure determination of the climate and conflict situation.

In a further step, the socio-economic factors will be investigated and modelled. To this end, relevant data must first be identified and its availability checked, after which the data obtained will be analysed within the framework of an empirical model. It makes sense to collaborate with legal experts for the final step in order to develop a customised question. For this model, hypotheses must be created and tested and their results and implications analysed.

 
In the final step, global-national law and international law will be analysed in relation to the conflict identified in the first steps. For this purpose, the existing global-national law will be analysed on the basis of example countries as well as the existing international law with regard to norms and regulations for the prevention of climate change-related conflicts. Finally, based on the results of the socio-economic study and analysis, a model will be developed to forecast a possible change in the legal situation to prevent or mitigate climate change-related conflicts worldwide. In doing so, it makes sense to consider the question of the enforceability of the law.

 

Identified Research Gaps

Interrelated research questions and their application for different areas of application: Due to the interference and interdependence of the different areas, all sciences must be considered together as far as possible in order to gain a deeper understanding. Interdisciplinary cooperation is particularly indispensable for the highly complex issues of climate change and the consequences of climate change.

 

Acknowledgements:

 

This work was prepared with the help of materials from the participating students from the Master's programmes in Economics, Geography and Climate and Environmental Sciences and students of law in the specialisation programme International Law and Environmental Law.

Buhaug, H., 2014. Concealing agreements over climate–conflict results. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111, E636–E636. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1323773111

 

Buhaug, H., 2010. Climate not to blame for African civil wars. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 107, 16477–16482. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1005739107

 

Burke, M.B., Miguel, E., Satyanath, S., Dykema, J. a, Lobell, D.B., 2009. Warming increases the risk of civil war in Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106, 20670–20674. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0907998106

 

Brauch, H.G., Link, P.M., Schilling, J. (Eds.), Climate Change, Human Security and Violent Conflict. Challenges for Social Stability. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp. 91–131.

 

de Sherbinin, A., Sherbinin, A.D., 2014. Climate change hotspots mapping: what have we learned? Climatic Change 123, 23–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0900-7

 

Hsiang, S.M., Burke, M., Miguel, E., 2013. Quantifying the Influence of Climate on Human Conflict. Science 341, 1235367. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1235367

Hsiang, S.M., Meng, K.C., 2014. Reconciling disagreement over climate-conflict results in Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2–5. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1316006111

 

Mach, K.J., Kraan, C.M., Adger, W.N., Buhaug, H., Burke, M., Fearon, J.D., Field, C.B., Hendrix, C.S., Maystadt, J.-F., O’Loughlin, J., Roessler, P., Scheffran, J., Schultz, K.A., von Uexkull, N., 2019. Climate as a risk factor for armed conflict. Nature 571, 193–197. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1300-6

Scheffran, J., Battaglini, A., 2011. Climate and conflicts: the security risks of global warming. Regional Environmental Change 11, 27–39.

 

Scheffran, J., Schilling, J., Link, M.P., 2012. Theories and Models of Climate-Security Interaction: Framework and Application to a Climate Hot Spot in North Africa, in: Scheffran, J., Brzoska, M.,