The Climate Diplomacy Podcast gives insights into the latest developments in international climate diplomacy and security. Our host Alexandra Steinkraus interviews experts and practitioners on their take on climate foreign policy, climate-related impacts to security, and promoting peace and resilience in a changing climate. Together we look into climate-fragility, migration, food insecurity, gender dynamics and much more, not to mention our deep dive into countries and regions. For more…
The Bay of Bengal is home to a quarter of humanity, and it is under pressure. Geopolitical competition, declining fish stocks, and the intensifying impacts of climate change are straining a shared maritime environment on which hundreds of millions of people depend. As resources grow scarcer, so does the risk of escalation among the region's littoral states. In this episode, Josephine Collier and…
In Nigeria's Middle Belt, farmer-herder conflicts over land and natural resources have claimed thousands of lives in recent years. Climate change – through prolonged droughts, irregular rainfall and shrinking grazing lands – is intensifying these pressures, driving displacement and deepening tensions across communities in Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau states. In this episode, we speak with…
When the International Court of Justice delivered its landmark advisory opinion on climate change in July 2025, it did more than clarify legal obligations — it reframed climate action as a matter of human rights, justice, and global security. In this episode, we speak with Atieh Khatibi, PhD researcher project assistant at the Research Center for Climate Law (ClimLaw: Graz), University of Graz, to…
In Iraq, climate stress is colliding with fragile governance and long-standing social fault lines. Rising heat, shrinking rainfall and worsening water scarcity are reshaping daily life and, without careful stewardship, can deepen tensions between communities and authorities. Yet when climate-related security risks are reframed as shared challenges rather than sources of blame, they can help…
For the last episode of 2025, we're joined by Jonah Thompson, EU Policy Manager at the Center for Countering Digital Hate, who also works on EU policy at Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD). Together, we explore the connection between climate disinformation and security—and how it undermines crisis response, erodes trust and fuels security risks in today's geopolitical climate. Tune in as…
Marking 25 years of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, in collaboration with UN Women, this episode explores how gender-responsive climate action can pave the way to sustainable peace. We are joined by Norul Rashid and Japhet William Graham Eichel from UN Women’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, who share insights from across the region and beyond. Together, they examine how…
In this episode, we explore the critical intersection of climate, environment, and human security in Brazil with Laís Clemente, Analyst in adelphi’s Climate Diplomacy and Security team. As Brazil prepares to host COP30, Laís unpacks the country’s most pressing climate and environmental challenges, from land and water conflicts to environmental crime and extreme weather, and discusses how Brazil’s…
In this episode we're joined by Assem Mayar, independent researcher and Climate Security Expert Network member, specialising in climate change, transboundary water management and environmental security. Assem shares insights on challenges and opportunities in Central Asia and Afghanistan, possible solutions in regional initiatives, decentralised finance and innovative funding mechanisms, as well…
This month, hosts Alexandra and Raquel celebrate the 50th episode by looking back continent by continent at the countries and regions that have been covered since 2019 on the podcast. From Kazakhstan to Mali to the Caribbean, guests have echoed the need for intersectional and inclusive research and programming, more and better climate finance in fragile and conflict-affected areas and the…
Crimes against the environment, from illegal deforestation to hazardous waste trafficking, are not just ecological issues—they’re deeply intertwined with climate and security. In this episode, we explore how thesecrimes fuel conflicts, undermine stability, and impact vulnerable communities. Join us and Fabian Keske from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as we uncover the drivers,…
In this episode, we delve into the complexities of fragility in Bangladesh. Our guest for this discussion is Tasnia Khandaker Prova, Lead on Climate Research at the Center for Peace and Justice at BRAC University. We discuss the dynamics of internal and cross-border migration, borderland securitization and the role of community networks in addressing these challenges. As Bangladesh grapples with…
In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between conflict and war, climate change and environmental degradation in Yemen with Hisham Al-Omeisy (Senior Yemen Advisor, European Institute of Peace) and Sinéad Barry (Analyst, Climate Diplomacy and Security Programme, adelphi). We discuss the current political situation, how the humanitarian crisis is compounded by environmental degradation…
In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between water, climate change and conflict in Libya. We are joined by independent consultant and researcher and one of the newest members of the Climate Security Expert Network, Malak Altaeb to discuss the reality of water scarcity, the weaponisation of water and the impacts of political legacy and fragmentation on infrastructure and governance.…
As COP29 in Azerbaijan has come to a close, in this episode, our colleague Yosr Khèdr (Analyst, adelphi) joins the podcast to discuss the climate finance negotiations, the new Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance, the shortcomings of the final text and what this means for COP30 in Belém. We also dive into what the negotiations mean for fragile and conflict affected countries, the…
From key takeaways to a look behind the scenes, in this episode we take a deep dive into all things Berlin Climate and Security Conference (BCSC). One of our hosts, Alexandra Steinkraus, switches hats and joins this episode as a guest along with another key member of the organising team, Laís Clemente. They share insights on how the conference is organised and discuss the role of different actors…
Biodiversity COP is around the corner. For the first time, the forum will look into how peace and security issues intersect with nature, and we are here for it. To understand the CBD COP process, how peace and security landed in the global biodiversity agenda, and to what to expect from the upcoming gathering of the community in Cali, we spoke with Florian Titze, Senior Policy Advisor for…
What did you always want to know about climate, peace and security, but didn't know who to ask? In this episode, hosts Alexandra and Raquel address questions sent by you, spanning from meanings and definitions, through methodologies and approaches, to challenges and solutions. They discuss the development of the climate, peace and security narrative, common misconceptions, and practicalities of…
As a heat dome drives record high temperatures for June across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), we speak with Ali Nasrallah, a green energy policy and climate security expert to discuss how climate change, rising temperatures and water scarcity are disrupting daily life and infrastructure, exacerbating tensions and contributing to new conflicts. We also speak about the energy transition…
In an era of polycrisis, operationalising the humanitarian-development-peace nexus is crucial for finding solutions that create synergies between these areas, rather than looking at them individually. This is specially the case in conflict, fragile and displacement settings. In this episode, we speak with Grazia Pacillo, Senior Scientist and Co-Lead of CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security, about the…
Livelihoods are how the necessities of life are secured. They are a determining factor in many contexts around the world. Many livelihoods are dependent on a healthy environment and a stable climate, making them particularly sensitive to climate and environmental crises. At the same time, they are deeply entangled with social and economic dynamics. As a consequence, livelihoods form a key pathway…
Colombia faces multiple challenges - from a complex peacebuilding process after more than 50 years of armed conflict to growing climate change impacts on its natural resources. Disputes over land use and governance have been at the heart of Colombia's struggle, and while everyone has been affected by it, indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities take a particularly high toll. This episode…
Haiti is facing a deep security, political and humanitarian crisis and is simultaneously one of the most vulnerable countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to climate change. Rising temperatures and declining rainfall have intensified drought and climate-related storms are growing more intense, causing devastating flooding. By adversely impacting livelihoods, food security, water scarcity and…
Since 2014, Yemen has been ravaged by civil war. Our guest today - Yemeni journalist, writer and activist Hind Al-Eryani - brings to light how the war is impacting the lives of women, children, LGBTQ+ communities and religious minorities. Hind explains how women's righs have benn deteriorating in Yemen, and the ways in which this affects society as a whole, for example by hindering climate…
So much can be said about how war and conflict disrupt the environment. The effects on human lives are excruciating and long-lived, making environmental protection a priority for human security - even in armed conflicts. On this International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War, we’ve partnered with PAX to put together an episode looking at how rules and recommendations…
COP28 is around the corner, and everyone wants to know: how will the conversations around finance for climate-affected states, which officially kicked off in Sharm El-Sheikh last November, pick up in Dubai? In this special edition of the #ClimateDiploPod, we go on a deep dive on climate, development and humanitarian funding with Andrew Harper, Special Advisor on Climate Action to the UN High…
The Peace Pillar initiative, launched in 2022, is sharing and elevating evidence-based recommendations in mainstreaming climate-security to support sustainable peace processes on the ground. It is guided by the analytical approach of Weathering Risk and translates climate-security foresight and analysis into peacebuilding action where it’s needed the most. In this episode, you will hear from Peace…
If you work with climate, environment, development, humanitarian assistance or adjacent areas, you have certainly come across this particular type of conflict. But is climate change and environmental degradation really to blame? Join our hosts, Raquel Munayer and Alexandra Steinkraus, in a chat that looks into the post-colonial elements influencing conflicts between farmers and herders, where…
In this episode, we are joined by Khouloud Ben Mansour, African Youth Ambassador for Peace with the African Union for North Africa and activist for women's and children's rights from Tunisia, to discuss migration, youth and gender in North African and beyond. We cover drivers of migration in the region, gender-based risks, and how to move beyond beyond giving marginalised groups a seat at the…
In this episode, Christianne Zakour, Advocate for Environmental Governance and Climate Justice, joins us to discuss shared challenges amongst Small Island Developing States, the potential for more interregional knowledge sharing and climate justice. She shares insights from her work in the Caribbean and the Caribbean Tree Planting Project and her recent term as a steering committee member of the…
Join our hosts, Raquel Munayer and Alexandra Steinkraus, for a conversation on how maladaptation makes communities even more vulnerable, rather than less, to climate change. Insights from Afghanistan, Colombia, Mali and the Pacific illustrate ways that negligence and poorly planned policies can lead to increased climate security risks, strengthened criminal networks, bolstered recruitment and…
Reporting on the climate and environmental crises is increasingly a risky endeavour – even more so where insecurity and conflict are present. Environmental Journalist and Consultant Peter Schwartzstein spoke about the perils of covering the climate-conflict nexus in places like Syria and Iraq, why concise narratives matter for boosting action, and what he is up to in his upcoming book ‘The Heat…
Join us for a conversation with our Heads of Programme (HoPs) for Climate Diplomacy and Security , Janani Vivekananda and Benjamin Pohl, as we reflect on highlights from 2022 – from the launch of the Climate for Peace Initiative at BCSC 2022 to the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 – and identify developments to watch (and be hopeful about) for 2023. All eyes are on actions that…
In this episode, we speak with Hafsa Maalim, one of the panel discussants at the 29 November UNSC meeting on climate, peace and security, to discuss the evolution of the understanding of Climate, Peace and Security (CPS) in the Security Council and how increased awareness of how climate, security and peacebuilding interact can offer a basis for additional tools and entry points to better achieve…
In this episode, Alina Viehoff joins one of our hosts, Alexandra Steinkraus, to discuss all things BCSC . As members of the organising team, together they discuss the key takeaways—from the need for better financing to the importance of inclusivity, equity and diversity, the Launch of the Climate for Peace Initiative and how to channel this agenda for action in support of an ambitious and…
In this episode, we are joined by Philippa Nuttall for a conversation on the impacts of war and conflict on nature, and about what can and is being done in the realm of international environmental law to counter-act these issues. She tells us about the weaponization of the environment in Ukraine, which has been ongoing already since 2014, discusses the concept of eco wars, and shares her thoughts…
Beyond its reactive role as a humanitarian agency, the World Food Programme (WFP) looks increasingly to preventative and anticipatory measures to hinder and reduce the impacts of climate-related disaster. Gernot Laganda, Chief of Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction at the WFP, brings some lessons from the field, suggest strategies to increase the resilience of food systems, and lets funding…
It seems counter-intuitive to talk about environmental issues in Syria, in the face of overwhelming human suffering. Yet, human life requires functioning ecosystems, and over 10 years of war has left Syria's water and land in shambles. This episode's guest, Loujein Haj Youssef, Editor-in-Chief at the independent Syrian news platform Rozana Radio, conducted an investigation into the specific…
In this episode, we discuss feminist foreign policy, intersectional environmentalism, climate justice and how they are all interrelated. We offer a deep-dive into feminist foreign policy and feminist climate policy and explore why they´re important in light of climate security and climate justice. Finally, we speak about activism and why it´s worth fighting for Utopia. Interviewee: Sheena…
In this episode, we discover what happens when the UN includes climate and environmental risks into a country mandate. Somalia is one of the first political missions to have climate and environmental language included in its mandate – and language has power. As a result, Somalia is the ground for several climate initiatives, ranging from risk assessment to capacity-building. One of the most…
In this episode, we speak with Ayan Mahamoud, Senior Coordinator of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional economic community with eight member states in the Horn of Africa. She walks us through some the region’s key climate-related risks to peace and security, and how IGAD is working to address these risks within the regional security cooperation framework. Ayan…
In this episode, recorded just after the startling assassination attempt of the Libyan prime minister, we discuss climate security risks in Libya and how they are shaped by the country’s complicated political history. We hear how a weak social contract and large administration leave little space for development spending and the private sector, hindering the country’s energy transition.…
This podcast episode looks back at progress, achievements and developments regarding climate diplomacy and security throughout the year 2021. It celebrates successes and discusses challenges, focusing on the most relevant and important events such as COP26, the journey of a topical UN Security Council resolution, the EU climate law, BCSC 2021 and many more. Interviewees: Hannah Elisabeth Kurnoth,…
This special podcast episode, recorded live at the 2021 Berlin Climate Security Conference, explores how to integrate climate security into mediation and peacebuilding. Our expert panellists highlight a range of issues, including how climate risks can provide an entry point for mediation, how communities must be empowered with knowledge on climate security, and that more integration is needed…
In this special episode, recorded live at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference 2021, we explore climate-related security risks and entry-points in three key regions: Southern Africa, the Arctic, and the Horn of Africa. We hear from the regional experts Ottilia Anna Maunganidze (Institute for Security Studies), Marisol Maddox (Wilson Center), and Sagal Abshir (The Clean Fight). They highlight…
The European Parliament issued a resolution on climate diplomacy in 2018. Since then, the policy landscape has evolved rapidly with the development of the European Green Deal, as well as the pandemic and ongoing efforts for a green post-Covid recovery. In this episode, Dennis Tänzler and Daria Ivleva highlight findings of their recent report on EU climate diplomacy, identifying progress made and…
The Arctic is experiencing anthropogenic climate change at three times the global rate of change. Its sea ice minimum reached its second lowest level on record in 2020. Marisol Maddox, author of the CSEN risk brief on the Arctic, walks us through the critical climate-related breaking points the region is experiencing and why it matters for the whole world. She further elaborates on the…
Climate-induced mobility is more than sudden displacement. It is also a consequence of slow-onset changes, structural shortcomings and governance failures. Luckily, the opportunities for addressing it and adapting to its impacts are just as diverse. Beatrice Mosello and Gareth Price, authors of the report “Rethinking mobility in the face of global changes”, give insights into climate-related…
South Asia is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. Parts of the region are characterised by a high level of political instability and socio-economic backwardness. This convergence implies that climate change not only undermines human security, but could also heighten conflict risks. On the one hand, the region lacks the resources and capacities to cope with worsening first and…
This episode digs into the food insecurity-climate change nexus. It looks at how vulnerable agriculture is to a rapidly and erratically changing climate, but at the same time, how much it contributes to it. We discuss some of the narratives around food security and the environmental systems needed for food production. This episode is a special edition ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021. The…
In this episode we speak about climate fragility risks in Mali together with Chitra Nagarajan, author of the climate fragility risk brief on Mali. During the interview, we hear her insights on how climate change is projected to affect Mali and learn more about the five pathways through which climate change impacts fragility in Mali. She also offers recommendations on how to address them. Moreover,…
