As climate change amplifies weather disasters and destabilizes food and water supplies, recent research has confirmed: Our planet’s warming is weakening already fragile states, increasing the risk of violent conflicts and sparking human displacement and migration on an unprecedented scale. USIP is working to understand how climate policy and peacebuilding can work together to ensure that we stay ahead of the climate curve and put affected communities on the path toward long-term peace and stability.

Featured   Publications

Indonesia’s Nickel Bounty Sows Discord, Enables Chinese Control

Indonesia’s Nickel Bounty Sows Discord, Enables Chinese Control

Thursday, March 21, 2024

By: Brian Harding;  Kayly Ober

As the world moves toward cleaner forms of energy, specific minerals and metals that support this transition have become “critical.” Nickel — a major component used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries — is one such critical mineral. Demand for battery metals is forecast to increase 60-70 percent in the next two decades. This may be a boon for some. But in Indonesia, which produces more than half of the world’s nickel supply, it has led to political, environmental and ethical complications.

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentGlobal Policy

Conservation and African Rangelands: From Conflict to Coexistence?

Conservation and African Rangelands: From Conflict to Coexistence?

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

By: Anna Haw;  Nora Moraga-Lewy

Sub-Saharan Africa’s population will nearly double to more than 2 billion by 2050, surpassing Asia by 2070. African policymakers recognize this trend and have focused efforts on increasing economic productivity. Native rangelands — the uncultivated grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands and savannas where wild and domestic animals graze — cover 43% of the continent’s land area. But rangelands have often been perceived as undeveloped areas and centers of degradation, erosion, desertification, droughts, famine and conflict. These vast areas, and the people they support, tend to be pushed to the periphery of political agendas, allowing root causes of degradation of land and livelihoods to fester and ultimately contributing to a vicious cycle of tension and conflict.

Type: Analysis

Environment

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Current  Projects

Critical Minerals in Africa

Critical Minerals in Africa

Often throughout Africa’s history, natural resource exploitation has brought devastating consequences. However, it’s clear that Africa’s critical minerals will be developed regardless of the risks. The question is: How will critical minerals be developed and to whose benefit?

EconomicsEnvironmentGlobal Policy

Peace and Security Issues in Africa-China Economic Relations

Peace and Security Issues in Africa-China Economic Relations

Much of the research that has been conducted on the impact of China’s economic engagement with Africa has focused on their economic exchanges and security engagements in isolation of one another. But few have sought to understand the interconnections between these themes. These interconnections matter, as some Chinese firms are responsible for environmental degradation, population displacement, corruption and illegal extraction activities — all of which are factors that can drive conflict. 

EconomicsEnvironmentFragility & ResilienceHuman Rights

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