Government Incorporates Conflict Response into Climate Adaptation Plans
The Federal Government has announced the integration of a conflict response and peacebuilding framework into its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to address climate-related vulnerabilities that increasingly threaten national security.
Insights from the Ministry of Environment
During a peer learning forum held in Abuja on the NAP process in conflict-affected countries, Salihu Usman, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, emphasized the need for a conflict-sensitive approach to climate adaptation in fragile environments. He pointed out that a range of security challenges are being exacerbated by climate pressures.
Linking Climate Change and Security Challenges
Usman highlighted that issues such as farmer-herder conflicts, cattle rustling, and banditry are, in part, connected to the effects of climate change. He stressed the necessity of incorporating peacebuilding considerations into adaptation plans to address these intersecting challenges.
Importance of a Conflict-Sensitive Approach
A key focus of the NAP process, according to Usman, is the integration of conflict response and peacebuilding. He cautioned that neglecting medium- and long-term adaptation strategies could exacerbate existing vulnerabilities related to climate change.
Breaking the Cycle of Vulnerability and Conflict
Usman further explained that climate change and conflict often reinforce one another. However, he noted that effective adaptation strategies can break this cycle by improving livelihoods and tackling underlying vulnerabilities. Adaptation interventions should be developed and implemented through a conflict-sensitive lens, particularly in regions already facing instability.
Call for Urgent Action
With climate impacts intensifying globally, Usman warned about the increasing frequency of extreme weather events that threaten both livelihoods and biodiversity. He urged for immediate action to prevent further deterioration of these conditions. Nigeria’s NAP, which is supported by the Green Climate Fund, draws from the National Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan and includes assessments of climate risk and vulnerability to better identify at-risk communities and propose suitable adaptation measures.
Impacts on National Security and Key Sectors
In his remarks, Iniobong Abiola-O, Director-General of Climate Change at the ministry, indicated that the repercussions of climate change are negatively affecting key sectors, infrastructure, and biodiversity, which are all integral to national security. He stressed that these impacts are likely to grow more severe under future climate scenarios, making stronger adaptation measures essential alongside ongoing mitigation efforts.
The Importance of Integrated Approaches
Alec Crawford, Director of Nature for Resilience at the International Institute for Sustainable Development and Secretariat of the NAP Global Network, remarked that the intersections of climate risk, conflict, and displacement are becoming increasingly apparent in various countries. He noted that while the national adaptation planning process is often viewed as a technical undertaking, it is vital for establishing long-term priorities, allocating resources, and coordinating governmental responses. In conflict-affected scenarios, adaptation efforts compete with other pressing priorities for funding and political focus, highlighting the necessity for a more complex but integrated approach.
