Directions for Research on Climate and Conflict

• Main Authors: Katharine J. Mach, W. Neil Adger, Halvard Buhaug, Marshall Burke, James D. Fearon, Christopher B. Field, Cullen S. Hendrix, Caroline M. Kraan, Jean‐Francois Maystadt, John O'Loughlin, Philip Roessler, Jürgen Scheffran, Kenneth A. Schultz, Nina vonUexkull
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2020-07-01
• Series: Earth's Future
• Subjects: climate change; armed conflict
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EF001532

Abstract The potential links between climate and conflict are well studied, yet disagreement about the specific mechanisms and their significance for societies persists. Here, we build on assessment of the relationship between climate and organized armed conflict to define crosscutting priorities for future directions of research. They include (1) deepening insight into climate‐conflict linkages and conditions under which they manifest, (2) ambitiously integrating research designs, (3) systematically exploring future risks and response options, responsive to ongoing decision‐making, and (4) evaluating the effectiveness of interventions to manage climate‐conflict links. The implications of this expanding scientific domain unfold in real time.