A recent study focused on reviewing the relationship between climate change and conflict has found that there are overlooked regions where climate change has already intensified local conflicts but remains under-researched.
Luisa Bedoya Taborda, who lead the study as a Master of Philosophy student at James Cook University, highlighted that this major gap has direct implications for Australia’s humanitarian responses.
“Climate-driven instability in neighbouring countries could trigger regional security concerns, migration pressures, and humanitarian crises and yet these areas are under-researched,” she said.
“Climate change impacts – such as typhoons, floods, droughts, and coastal erosion – are increasing in frequency and intensity. These impacts have profound social, economic, and political consequences on different communities.”
In this study the authors exposed that climate-induced stress is already exacerbating existing socio-political tensions, often leading to the outbreak or escalation of conflicts.
“We also found that most of the reviewed studies on climate change and conflict are in English. Many studies published in Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, and other languages are underrepresented in current databases, so we are missing important perspectives and understanding of these situations,” Ms Bedoya Taborda said.
Ms Bedoya Taborda is currently studying a PhD in this topic at the University of Sydney and was drawn to this area while working as a lawyer in her native Colombia, South America, with people affected by climate change and violent conflict.
“I was helping communities in Colombia that were dealing with climate change impacts like droughts or flooding and at the same time they were affected by conflict,” she said.
“It’s very complicated, because we don’t actually know how to help these communities.
“Our review showed there is a major gap regarding what’s happening in communities that are already affected by conflict. So, these communities are basically alone, trying to face these two significant, compounded shocks.”
The review, which was co-authored by University of Sydney Associate Professor Michele Barnes and JCU Professor Tiffany Morrison, highlights the urgent need to study climate change impacts in understudied regions but also in communities that are already affected by conflict.
“Communities in South America, Oceania and Southeast Asia that have experienced violent conflicts and are intensely vulnerable to climate change impacts are understudied,” Associate Professor Barnes said.
“There’s an urgent need to study climate change impacts in conflict-affected communities so we can better understand how to design policies and projects that can help address these compounding issues in ways that work toward both climate resilience and enduring peace.”
