When the White House released the US Framework for Climate Resilience and Security in September 2024, it was an important opportunity to highlight the significant impacts of climate change on US national security, economic, and strategic interests. The Framework also emphasized the need for tailored approaches in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable (FCV) contexts, particularly in managing and allocating resources, as well as ensuring that climate finance addresses conflict drivers.

This is imperative because climate impacts are not isolated; they interact with other pressures, creating complex, compound risks, especially in FCV contexts. In these settings, the factors that make a place vulnerable to conflict—such as exclusionary political systems, low economic development, and unequal resource distribution—are often the very same reasons that make it vulnerable to climate change. Conflict-related destruction and institutional breakdown also weaken systems essential for resilience against climate shocks, compounding challenges. 

The US Department of State and US Agency for International Development (USAID) now have partnered to produce the Climate Fragility Programming Resource Guide to deepen understanding of how to address joint climate change and conflict challenges. It demonstrates the importance of addressing climate risks in FCV contexts, and provides guidance on how to incorporate climate and environment considerations into programming for those working on conflict prevention and stabilization.

Towards Programming for Climate Security 

The new guide also acknowledges that programming that addresses complex climate-fragility compound risks can take many forms. Because climate change impacts are deeply intertwined with social, economic, and political systems, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing climate security.

As USAID argued in 2022, effective interventions depend on the context. Breaking down traditional silos is also crucial—addressing conflict without considering climate risks, or vice versa, can lead to unintended consequences or failure. A comprehensive, layered approach is needed to ensure climate and conflict strategies are aligned. 

These insights are not just theoretical in nature. For years, USAID has been collecting data on programming at the climate-conflict-peace nexus. The lessons learned have been translated into a number of useful toolkits on land, water, and food.  

The different approaches which have risen to the surface include three key principles: blending climate into conflict prevention; achieving peace and improved climate resilience through better governance; and making climate responses a foundational principle for peacebuilding.  

Incorporating Climate Considerations into Conflict Prevention 

Assessing the direct impacts of climate change on existing or potential conflict issues is essential, as traditional conflict prevention approaches often overlook climate-related factors. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for anticipating and mitigating conflict risks. Evaluating current and future climate-related fragility risks helps identify potential entry points for interventions. Such assessments must consider localized climate impacts, like changes in natural resource availability, and the capacity of state and local communities to respond. 

Integrating climate and environmental data into decision-making processes enables stakeholders to proactively address emerging risks. Early warning systems are vital for identifying and responding to climate-related threats before they escalate, thus enhancing community resilience.

The US Department of State’s pilot project Building Climate and Conflict Resilient Communities in Northern Benin illustrates this approach. This program aims to reduce farmer-herder conflict by improving communication and incorporating early warning data into traditional mediation processes. Additionally, the program trains women as community dialogue facilitators, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and local empowerment in sustaining these approaches. 

Building Peace and Climate Resilience Through Improved Governance 

Effective governance of land, natural resources, and the environment is crucial for building peace and resilience in FCV settings. One key aspect in doing so is by promoting tenure security, because secure land rights encourage investment, improve resilience, and reduce disputes. Ensuring tenure security, especially for women, is vital for enhancing food security and fostering equitable governance.

Another critical factor is improving local governance and institutions. Strong institutions are needed to manage natural resources and resolve disputes, while inclusive decision-making processes involving marginalized groups can prevent the exploitation of resources by rival groups and reduce conflict risks. 

USAID’s Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity Activity in Karamoja, Uganda, demonstrates how participatory resource management can enhance stability. The initiative developed resource sharing agreements and policies that govern access and use of land and water across different groups. The activity also supported the local government’s ability to enforce these undertakings.

Local peacebuilding committees designed and developed these efforts; and coordinated them at the community, district, and national levels. To address water evaporation in the Kobebe Reservoir, for instance, Jie and Matheniko youth planted and maintained trees around a shared dam. With these policies in place, resources have become more accessible and equitably shared, and violent clashes have decreased.   

Utilizing Climate Responses as an Organizing Principle for Peacebuilding 

Joint activities in climate change adaptation and natural resource management  can strengthen intercommunity relationships and social dialogue. In areas with a history of violence, employing adaptation and resource management as cooperative tools can transcend long standing divisions. 

For instance, USAID’s Peace Centers for Climate and Social Resilience project in Ethiopia demonstrates how climate change can serve as an organizing principle for intergroup collaboration. By framing climate challenges as a shared threat, the project facilitated dialogues and joint climate change adaptation activities, fostering mutual understanding and reducing conflict incidents. 

Embracing a Holistic Approach

In FCV settings, the impacts of climate change are inextricably linked to broader economic, social, and political challenges. Addressing climate-conflict compound risks requires a holistic approach that integrates climate considerations into conflict prevention and stabilization efforts. By understanding and addressing the dual burden of climate change and conflict, the international community can build resilience, promote stability, and foster lasting peace in vulnerable regions. 

The Climate Fragility Programming Resource Guide provides concrete guidance—gleaned from programs implemented across the globe—to highlight how governments, non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, and others can decrease and address conflict risk even in the face of acute climate shocks.