Will there be a Resource War?

A few weeks ago, a new report, “A New Climate for Peace: Taking Action on Climate and Fragility Risks,” commissioned by members of the G7 was released. The report identifies seven “compound climate-fragility risks” that threaten the future stability of communities and states worldwide.

The Guardian reported on the report’s release noting that while the report makes important recommendations, the tendency to point to a possible climate war, a la Mad Max, simplifies conflict too much. Fighting over resources isn’t new, and no doubt increasingly scarce resources have the potential to set more and more sparks, but there is also history and politics to account for. Case studies in the report point to current tension points, such as struggle over the Nile River’s ebb and flow which affects millions of people in countries that depend on the Nile for their water supply.

The private industry, as reported by the World Bank, seems to recognize that stable and healthy markets are good for business and are starting to get on board with creating a low-carbon market that will support economic growth and hopefully increase more stability in the future.

Climate changes make it even more important that agricultural efforts outlined in the article “Energizing the Green Revolution in Africa” are put into play. It is becoming increasingly imperative that farmers be able to produce a maximum amount of crops per plot of land. While this has always been necessary, establishing strong agricultural production and markets will create more resilient communities globally. As noted in the G7 report, volatile food prices and provision is a likely outcome of climate change, so getting ahead of it will be important for communities most at risk.

This piece was originally posted on the First Tranche. Image credit: AidData Flickr