Special approach needed for fragile states to tackle climate change

01/10/2010 | Area of work: Sustainable peace building

In the Dutch newspaper Trouw (January 6th, 2010) Mark van Dorp of DUVILLA and Eric van de Giessen of the Institute for Environmental Security argue for a special approach for fragile states like Sudan or Afghanistan, which will offer people in these countries more protection to climate change. This will prevent them from being hit by a double disaster. The full article (in Dutch) was written on behalf of the Dutch Working Group Ecology and Development, an independent expert network. The English version can be downloaded here.

Photo: Piet Wit/CIMIC operation Uruzgan, Afghanistan 2007

In the Himalayas glaciers are melting. Many Africans face rising temperatures and increasing droughts. Knowledge and capacity to tackle these major problems is often insufficient. For countries involved in a civil war or those slowly recovering from a conflict situation, a double disaster is looming. These so-called fragile states will not be able to adapt to climatic changes in time. There is a lack of good governance and democratic control mechanisms to ensure that money aimed at climate adaptation is spent well and wisely. In these countries desertification and water scarcity could even lead to new, additional conflicts.