Washington, D.C. — Climate change is taking a toll on human health and the environment, and its impact on water and food security also poses real security risks that threaten international peace and stability, according to a new issue brief from the Center for American Progress.
The droughts, unpredictable rainfall, pollution, and flooding caused by climate change have a major impact on food production, energy costs, transportation, and supply chains, the brief says. Extreme weather events also interfere with food supplies in countries around the world, notably affecting fragile states and countries experiencing conflict. This has made famines and crisis-level food shortages even more dire in countries including South Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen.
The impact of water and food scarcity can undermine basic livelihoods and increase social tensions, leading to instability and conflict if left unaddressed, the brief says. Access to scarce food and water supplies also can be used as a recruitment tool by violent groups, and even harnessed as a weapon of war.
Read the brief: “How Climate Change and Water and Food Insecurity Drive Instability” by Carolyn Kenney
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at 202.478.6327 or [email protected].