James Cook University led research has developed a new evidence-based framework for improving how organisations help people living in climate impacted conflict zones.
As climate impacts grow - driving food insecurity and internal displacement - new research published in the journal Global Environmental Change calls for organisations to integrate peacebuilding and climate change adaptation programs, or risk falling short of delivering lasting solutions.
"Climate change is a threat multiplier - it doesn't necessarily cause conflict, but it exacerbates a lot of pre-existing vulnerabilities that can increase the risk of conflict," said the paper's first author and former JCU Masters graduate Luisa Bedoya Taborda.
"If there is a scarcity of local resources people rely on for their livelihoods, that can lead to conflict and reduced security. Climate change exacerbates that scarcity."
Spanish speaking Ms Bedoya Taborda interviewed local government and community-based organisations working in Cispatá Bay in Colombia, South America, a region that has experienced several decades of armed conflict as well as enduring climate-impacts on the community's main sources of income, fishing and farming.
"If you integrate peacebuilding and climate adaptation efforts, you will save time and resources and get more positive outcomes," said Ms Bedoya Taborda.
"But if you don't … you can actually create negative loops that reinforce people's vulnerabilities, leading to unintended consequences."
Ms Bedoya Taborda's research showed that there was a lack of coordinated framework for how best to help at-risk communities, limiting the opportunities for coordination between organisations that deliver peacebuilding and climate adaptation programs.
"These organisations tend to work in separate or siloed ways, but they do recognise they need to integrate their efforts," she said.
"Organisations can use our new framework to integrate and deliver better adaptation programs."
The study identified major overlaps between the delivery of climate change adaptation and peacebuilding interventions. These included access to information, education and training, building social networks, sustainable environmental management, employment and healing.
"After conflict, there's a need for money and jobs … something that helps with people's immediate needs," explained Ms Bedoya Taborda.
"In Cispatá Bay, peacebuilding programs encouraged people to work in mangrove restoration or run ecological tours, which helped them to improve their situation.
"That was very successful, with positive outcomes for people double-impacted by climate and conflict. They had something to work on that also contributed to conservation and climate adaptation."
However, there were areas that were a major focus in one type of intervention but largely absent in the other.
This included social-cognitive constructs like belief, attitudes and past experiences – seen as critical in climate adaptation programs as well as protection/safety – seen as critical to peacebuilding initiatives.
"Our research illustrates why we need peacebuilding to be integrated with climate adaptation," said Ms Bedoya Taborda.
"Even if you have a great climate-adaption project, like restoring mangroves, people are not going to participate if they are feeling unsafe."
