Support Peacebuilding Through Local Climate Adaptation
Climate change is impacting all areas of human life and flourishing. Beyond the impacts we can observe clearly, like droughts or floods, some impacts are further removed, like the relationships between weather patterns and migrations, as families search for safe homes and stable livelihoods.
The effects of climate change can worsen some of the things that trigger conflicts, such as economic insecurity, competition over scare resources like water, and inequality and discrimination. In fragile areas with histories of violence and conflict, weak governments and inadequate social safety nets mean that the impacts of climate change can increase suffering among already vulnerable families and communities and undermine efforts to build peace and stable livelihoods.
The good news is that local organizations, like MCC partners, are already at work building peace and creatively addressing the unique challenges of climate change in their communities through climate adaptation.
Climate change adaptation is about helping communities adjust and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including the increased risk of conflict and violence.
For example, MCC partner in Zimbabwe, Score Against Poverty (SCORE) is doing just that. They are bringing technology like solar panels, fuel-efficient stoves and biodigesters to women in Mwenezi District. These simple solutions allow women more control over their livelihoods and reduce the time they need to spend gathering water and firewood in remote areas where they are vulnerable to harm. Similarly, MCC partner MPUS in Bangladesh is teaching local farmers adaptive farming techniques like hanging or floating gardens that protect crops from increasingly frequent flooding, reducing their likelihood of being displaced from their land into risky conditions. These projects and others like them help build peace and flourishing in communities, as families are able to build stable livelihoods and provide for themselves.
Our experience has taught us that the most effective adaptation work is locally designed: addressing the unique needs and priorities of each community and using the unique resources and skills that the community has to offer. Effective adaptation work also integrates peacebuilding and approaches challenges with a holistic view.
To make Canada’s climate finance contributions more effective, we are encouraging the government to focus on funding local climate adaptation that addresses the connections between climate change and conflict. We are asking Canada to:
- Increase climate adaptation funding to the areas where help is needed most, especially in places struggling with the impacts of climate change and food insecurity.
- Commit to funding local organizations who are well suited to address climate change in their own communities.
- Focus on supporting climate action projects that include peacebuilding.