Pakistan Presses U.S. to Lead Global Response to Climate Disasters

Pakistan Presses U.S. to Lead Global Response to Climate Disasters

Thursday, September 29, 2022

By: James Rupert

Pakistan’s unprecedented flood disaster is a wakeup call for governments and international institutions on the need to build a worldwide response to the disproportionate burden of climate change on nations of the Global South — a challenge that Pakistan’s foreign minister underscored to U.S. officials and foreign policy analysts Wednesday at USIP. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged policymakers to lead an international effort to use the Pakistan crisis as a catalyst for a more effective international effort to help the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

Type: Analysis

Environment

How Climate Change Fuels Instability in Central Africa

How Climate Change Fuels Instability in Central Africa

Thursday, September 22, 2022

By: Archibald S. Henry

Beleaguered by a history of prolonged conflict and socioeconomic insecurity, Central Africa is now considered one of the most vulnerable regions in the world when it comes to climate and environmental shocks. Countries in the region are already feeling the effects, as unpredictable bouts of extreme weather and drought have started to drive displacement, impede governance and incite tensions at all levels of society.

Type: Analysis

Environment

Could Climate Change Compel North Korea to Cooperate?

Could Climate Change Compel North Korea to Cooperate?

Thursday, September 22, 2022

By: Frank Aum;  Lucy Stevenson-Yang

Like much of the rest of the world, North Korea is experiencing more frequent and more intense climate-related disasters. In the last few years, it has seen its longest drought and longest rain season in over a century. In 2021, the country’s reclusive dictator, Kim Jong Un, called for immediate steps to mitigate the dramatic impacts of climate change, which compound other challenges facing the country, like food insecurity. While North Korea is not exactly known for its efforts to cooperate with the international community, the severe threats posed by climate change could lead to broader engagement that serves Pyongyang’s interests, as well as the interests of the United States, South Korea and China, who all want peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Type: Analysis

Environment

How Climate Change Catalyzes More Migration in Central America

How Climate Change Catalyzes More Migration in Central America

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

By: Sarah Bermeo;  Mary Speck, Ph.D.

Annual migrant apprehensions at the U.S. southwestern border have surpassed 2 million, breaking previous fiscal year records. The flows (which include large numbers of repeat crossers) have grown increasingly multinational in recent years, including Haitians trying to escape their country’s violence and poverty, along with Cubans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans fleeing a combination of economic misery and political repression. Mexicans seeking better paid work in the United States also continue to cross the border in large numbers, as they have for generations.

Type: Analysis

EconomicsEnvironment

Can Arab States Bounce Back from COVID and Climates Crises?

Can Arab States Bounce Back from COVID and Climates Crises?

Thursday, September 15, 2022

By: Mona Yacoubian

More than two years into the pandemic, Arab states continue to struggle with the economic and social impacts of COVID-19. Meanwhile, climate change is devastating the region — and its governments are ill-equipped to address massive problems like water scarcity and scorching temperatures. Even before COVID, much of the region was wracked by conflict, embroiled in social tension, suffering from lagging economies and witnessing growing disquiet over the unrealized aspirations of the Arab uprisings. These challenges are detailed in the U.N. Development Programme’s recently released 2022 Arab Human Development Report, which also lays out a path for an “inclusive and resilient recovery.”

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentFragility & ResilienceGlobal Health

Why Pakistan Is Drowning

Why Pakistan Is Drowning

Thursday, September 8, 2022

By: Sahar Khan;  Jumaina Siddiqui

Pakistan is currently experiencing one of the worst environmental disasters in the world. One-third of the country is under water. Over 1,325 people have died and 33 million have been impacted. The latest statistics show that over 1,600 have been injured, 325,000 homes destroyed, 735,000 livestock lost and 2 million acres of crops damaged — numbers which are likely to increase. According to a rough assessment by Atlantic Council’s Uzair Younus and economist Ammar Khan, the direct damage to roads, homes, livestock and crops is over $3 billion, which is an astronomical amount for a developing country like Pakistan.

Type: Analysis

Environment

Pakistan’s Deadly Floods Come Amid Deluge of Crises

Pakistan’s Deadly Floods Come Amid Deluge of Crises

Thursday, September 1, 2022

By: Tamanna Salikuddin;  Jumaina Siddiqui

After experiencing its hottest months in 61 years in April and May, Pakistan has been hit by a “monsoon season on steroids,” according to U.N. chief Antonio Guterres. Pakistan has long been considered one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world. Despite a history of intense floods, the country was ill-prepared for this year’s monsoon season. Intractable political and economic crises have hampered Pakistan’s capacity to address the ongoing fallout, particularly the worsening humanitarian crisis.

Type: Analysis

EconomicsEnvironment

Pacific Islands Forum: Leaders Want to Focus on Climate Change, Not Geopolitics

Pacific Islands Forum: Leaders Want to Focus on Climate Change, Not Geopolitics

Thursday, July 7, 2022

By: Brian Harding;  Camilla Pohle

The annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting will convene next week in Suva, Fiji, against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical competition in the region. But as the United States and its partners grow increasingly wary of China’s strategic interests in the Pacific Islands, leaders of PIF member states seek to shift regional attention to their greatest security concern: climate change.

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentGlobal Policy

Pakistan’s Climate Challenges Pose a National Security Emergency

Pakistan’s Climate Challenges Pose a National Security Emergency

Thursday, July 7, 2022

By: Jumaina Siddiqui

Pakistan is in the midst of a terrible heatwave, with the temperatures in parts of the country exceeding 120 F. April was the hottest month in the past 61 years, until May came along and saw warmer temperatures. At least 65 people have reportedly died due to the heatwave, but the actual numbers are certainly higher, and it’s caused massive flooding and infrastructure damage in Gilgit-Baltistan, water shortages in Karachi and broader Sindh province, and placed greater demands on the country’s weak electrical grid. Despite monsoon rains beginning in late June — causing at least 77 deaths — many parts of the country still swelter. Pakistan should treat these climate disasters as a full-fledged national security emergency before they stoke conflict that adds further stress amid the country’s other numerous challenges.

Type: Analysis

Environment

Climate Change, Migration and the Risk of Conflict in Growing Urban Centers

Climate Change, Migration and the Risk of Conflict in Growing Urban Centers

Monday, June 27, 2022

By: Tegan Blaine, Ph.D.;  Julia Canney;  Jessica Kline;  Rachel Locke

From 2015 to 2050, the world’s urban population is expected to nearly double, in part because migrants from rural areas devastated by climate change are being driven to cities in search of economic and social stability. However, many of the world’s fastest-growing cities are already struggling to handle their own climate issues. From rising seas to freshwater scarcity, the complex interplay of climate change, population growth and fragility in cities has made them hotbeds for social and economic inequalities — increasing the risk of violence and having a profound impact on human security in urban centers around the world.

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentConflict Analysis & Prevention