Case Studies

The case studies below illustrate some of the diverse interactions between climate, peace and security. They are based on empirical research and projects implemented by UNEP. See the Resource Library for additional real-world context and analysis.

These generalised contexts are used as examples in the Action Toolkit.

Linkage charts – visualisations of climate, peace and security interactions – are discussed as a tool for problem analysis and solution identification in Modules 2.2 and 3.2.

Climate-Peace-Security Nexus Interactions:

In a river basin community, livelihood insecurity related to climate conditions (linkage 1) has become a key driver of seasonal and permanent out-migration (linkage 2), particularly among young men. Extreme flooding destroys crops, compelling men to migrate to cities with jobs that are less vulnerable to natural hazards, such as construction. An apparently lucrative – though dangerous – alternative is to answer the recruitment call of armed groups operating in an armed conflict nearby (linkage 3). 

The community members who remain behind – most often women – are tasked with increased household burdens (linkage 4) and frequently have to take on new roles to compensate for lost income of family members who migrate (linkage 5). The presence of armed conflict in the area also means women are at increasingly greater risk of sexual violence (linkage 6).

Potential Nature-based Solutions:

• Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices and Capacity Building: Implement climate-smart practices such as flood-tolerant rice and crop rotation that increase adaptivity to floods, droughts, and temperature extremes, improving livelihood security. These can be complemented by demonstration farms that train communities in crop diversification and farming of climate-resilient crops. (Linkage Interrupter A)
• Climate Resilient Livelihoods: Provide training in climate-smart agriculture, nursery management, or forest restoration work, particularly to women and youth. Promote nature-based livelihood and entrepreneurship options (e.g., beekeeping, medicinal herb cultivation, natural handicrafts, etc.) to reduce dependence on climate-sensitive agriculture, enhancing local economic climate resilience. (Linkage Interrupter B)
• Green Flood Management Infrastructure: Use vegetation and natural landforms (e.g., vegetated swales, riparian buffers, floodplain restoration, etc.) to absorb floodwaters, reducing crop losses and land degradation during monsoon seasons. (Linkage Interrupter C)

Climate-Peace-Security Nexus Interactions:

After a severe climate change-induced drought (linkage 1), a regional dependence on agriculture and pastoralism meant that millions of people lost their livelihoods (linkage 2) and experienced famine (linkage 3). Many have turned to piracy as a means of survival (linkage 4). Increased piracy leads to exacerbated violence between pirates and illegal fishing vessels (linkage 5), whose unsustainable fishing practices have been a long-term cause of marine ecosystem degradation along the coast (linkage 6).

Though it has various negative impacts, piracy also plays a role in limiting overfishing, as the presence of criminal networks on the water deters other marine activity (linkage 7). When government naval patrols and judicial policies target piracy without addressing its root causes (e.g., poverty, food insecurity, climate-induced resource scarcity, etc.), heightened levels of illegal fishing become an unintended consequence. Ongoing climate-related disruptions could further destabilise the area, potentially exacerbating piracy and maritime conflict – which would likely have both negative and positive impacts for marine conservation. 

Potential Nature-based Solutions:

• Blue-Green, Climate-Resilient Livelihoods: Financial and supply chain support to nature-based income streams (e.g., seaweed farming, beekeeping, sustainable charcoal, and eco-fishing) that reduce dependence on illegal activity, create youth employment, and restore degraded ecosystems. (Linkage Interrupter A)
• Agroecological Rehabilitation of Drought-Degraded Lands: Train local communities — especially vulnerable groups, such as women, youth, and ex-pirates — in rehabilitating and cultivating drylands. Training can include techniques for water-efficient agroforestry, soil restoration, drought-resilient crops, and farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) of native trees. (Linkage Interrupter B)
• Community-Based Coastal Ecosystem Restoration: Employ local fishers and youth cooperatives to restore coastal ecosystems using Indigenous knowledge and simple tools (e.g., planting mangroves, monitoring seagrass and seagrass recovery, etc.), rebuilding marine food webs, improving fish stocks, and creating alternative livelihoods in ecosystem restoration. (Linkage Interrupter C)
• Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs): Secure community nearshore marine area stewardship rights and enforcement powers by establishing community fishing councils and providing them with patrol boats and training on sustainable harvesting, catch tracking, and conflict resolution. This deters illegal fishing, regenerates fish populations, and empowers communities to safeguard their own marine resources. Ex-pirates can be reintegrated and re-employed as community rangers and data collectors. LMMAs can also use Indigenous knowledge to designate fish breeding zones where foreign vessels are excluded and communities share revenue from ecotourism or carbon credits. (Linkage Interrupter D)

Climate-Peace-Security Nexus Interactions:

In an arid region, climate change is affecting natural resource availability (linkage 1) in ways that lead to livelihood insecurity for pastoralists and farmers alike (linkage 2). 

Nomadic pastoralists are shifting their migratory routes in search of water and food for their herds, sometimes encroaching on the lands of nearby farmers; farmers, meanwhile, may try to cultivate crops on migratory routes or animal grazing land (linkage 3).

Community resource management mechanisms that once negotiated land use have become dysfunctional or no longer exist, and many rules and regulations are not properly implemented. As a result, competing land and resource use is increasingly creating tensions between pastoralists and farmers (linkage 4).

Resource competition and poor management further exacerbates environmental degradation (linkage 5), and the resulting tensions (linkage 6) have increasingly sparked violent conflict (linkage 7).

Potential Nature-based Solutions:

• Restoration of Grazing and Migratory Land: Community-managed grazing and reseeding on degraded grazing lands, increasing forage regrowth and reducing pressure on farmland. Assisted natural regeneration along transhumance routes to clearly mark migratory pathways, provide forage and shade, and support biodiversity. (Linkage Interrupter A)
• Shared Water Rehabilitation: Restore or create shared natural water sources (e.g., ponds, wetlands, etc.) along migratory routes, managed by joint farmer-pastoralist committees to reduce water competition, decrease animal encroachment on cropland, and improve drought resilience. (Linkage Interrupter B)
• Emergency Grazing Reserves: Community-managed designated areas with drought-resistant fodder for emergency grazing during migratory periods, lowering pressure on shared grazing lands and reducing risk of conflict. (Linkage Interrupter C)

Climate-Peace-Security Nexus Interactions:

For a community living near a national park, a river has historically delineated the official boundary between their land and government territory. However, climate change is contributing to the frequency and intensity of floods (linkage 1), which have resulted in changes to the river’s course (linkage 2). As a result, the ‘natural’ boundary of the national park has shifted over time, cutting into the community’s farmland (linkage 3). More than 100 hectares of farmland have been lost; however, maps have not been updated to reflect the changes, and the government continues to tax farmers according to outdated records (linkage 4). This has given rise to disputes over land taxation between local authorities and farmers whose land has been degraded or lost due to flooding (linkage 5).

Potential Nature-based Solutions:

• Floodplain and Riverbank Management: Create designated flood buffer zones that absorb flood waters naturally and reduce peak river flow, lowering flood risk. Use deep-rooted native plants to anchor soil along the river and in floodplains, reducing erosion, slowing river migration, and protecting nearby farmland. (Linkage Interrupter A)
• Community-led River Monitoring: Train locals to monitor water levels and report high-risk erosion points, improving early warning; building trust between national park staff and local communities; and providing accurate information for updated tax schemes. (Linkage Interrupter B)
• Agroecology: Use mixed cropping or seasonal fodder grasses in areas with high flood risk, minimizing loss during floods, improving soil retention, and increasing farming flexibility. This can be coupled with crop storage and marketing facilities to enhance climate resilience of agricultural livelihoods. (Linkage Interrupter C)
• Eco-Engineering: Use a combination of natural and low environmental impact materials to stabilise river banks (e.g., brush mattresses, vegetative geogrids, etc.), supporting biodiversity while reducing flood damage. (Linkage Interrupter D)

Climate-Peace-Security Nexus Interactions:

The impacts of climate change on a densely populated river basin are straining water availability in a major city (linkage 1). As a result, only half of the city’s water needs are being met: daily availability is 550 million gallons, but the city’s water demand is 1.1 billion gallons per day. 

Weak governance resulting from the long-term impacts of colonialism and ethnic conflict means that official institutions and criminal groups are competing with each other for control of limited water resources (linkage 2). The city’s water and sewerage board, which is formally responsible for water and sanitation, has been highly politicised by parties representing particular ethnic groups (linkage 3). Informal players – including partisan political staff, criminal gangs, and small-scale entrepreneurs – have stepped in to make economic and political gains. Illicit access to pipelines is leveraged by various actors to maintain territorial control, secure popular support, and make money (linkage 4). Unjust water distribution has become the norm, and favours those in power politically, economically, and criminally (linkage 5). This has, in turn, deepened inter-ethnic grievances (linkage 6), with the potential to escalate tensions both within institutions and on the city’s streets.

Potential Nature-based Solutions:

• Urban rainwater harvesting: Construct rooftop rainwater tanks, pervious pavements, and underground recharge wells for apartment blocks, schools, mosques, etc. to reduce dependence on centralised water supplies, especially in underserved areas. (Linkage Interrupter A)
• Water quality infrastructure: Introduce low-cost, nature-based, community-led systems for stormwater management and water filtration (e.g., bioswales, green corridors, and wetland-based water treatment systems) to improve water quality and provide entry points for collaborative, non-politicised service delivery. (Linkage Interrupter B)
• Greywater reuse systems: Implement biofiltration systems in public buildings or shared spaces in underserved neighborhoods to treat and reuse household wastewater for non-potable uses (e.g., urban gardening, green roofs, toilets, etc.). (Linkage Interrupter C)
• Nature-based youth education and engagement: Train youth-led “water brigades” to install and maintain green infrastructure across neighborhoods with mentoring support, fostering a sense of shared stewardship and offering alternatives to gang recruitment. (Linkage Interrupter D)