The lives and livelihoods of local communities in the borderlands of the Lake Chad Basin are disrupted by both climate change and conflict, which are mutually reinforcing. Conflict undermines social cohesion and public trust and degrades the ability of communities to adapt to the effects of climate change. At the same time, climate change adds additional stress on food, land, and water security, reinforcing the political and socioeconomic conditions that drive armed conflict. In the context of a long history of marginalization, underdevelopment, and weak governance in the region, this conflux can drive people to turn to armed groups in search of alternative governance structures, economic incentives, and spiritual and social dignity and meaning.
Preventing and managing climate-related insecurity: Lessons from the Lake Chad Basin regional strategy
What does it take to address climate-related insecurity in one of the world’s most fragile regions? Lessons from the Lake Chad Basin suggest that without placing livelihoods and local resilience at the centre of regional strategies, efforts to stabilise conflict-affected areas will fall short.