Climate and Society: Climate Security, Natural Resources and Conflict Geography

Based on a framework of human-environment interactions, the class will focus on the security and conflict dimensions of natural resources and environmental change, in particular climate change. Based on an analysis of the geographic distribution of natural resources and environmental change, the conditions and factors of resource conflicts will be critically assessed and discussed, referring to the literature on environmental conflicts and the tragedy of the commons. Particular attention will be given to the recent debate on climate change and security where a conceptual framework will be presented on the complex climate-society interaction, with linkages between climate stress, natural resources, human needs, societal stability and violent conflict. To validate models and hypotheses on these relationships it is important to develop indicators and data on instability and conflict events. Based on the assessment of climate security risks by the German Advisory Council on Global Change, major conflict constellations will be analyzed, including water scarcity, food insecurity, flood disasters and environmentally-induced migration. A key issue will be the comparative analysis of different regional case studies for hot spots of climate change and environmental conflicts. After assessing the nexus of interrelated problems, a view will be given to the emerging policy debates on resource conflicts and the securitization of climate change and institutional processes to address these issues in security and climate policy, including international negotiations. Finally, integrated approaches to human-environment interactions and environmental policies will be introduced and discussed, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, concepts of environmental and human security, sustainable peace, international cooperation and conflict management, global governance and stakeholder participation.

The 3-hour class consists of two blocks, separated by a break. The first block is a lecture on the topic of the day, the second is a seminar block that allows for active participation and discussion by the students. The type of activity will be specific to the topic and announced in class.

3 credit points will be based on the following requirements:
*   Final Exam: on the last day of class (February 1)
*   Class participation, response to questions in class, preparation and discussion of readings 

4.5 credit points will include as an additional requirement:
Homework paper or presentation of topic or reading in class any time during the semester, in agreement with lecturer

Bächler, G. & Spillmann, K.R. (eds.) (1996): Kriegsursache Umweltzerstörung, Chur/Zürich.

Barnett, J. (2003): Security and Climate Change, Global Environmental Change, 13 (1): 7-17.

Barnett, J. & Adger, W.N. (2007): Climate change, human security and violent conflict, Political Geography, 26: 639-655.

Brauch, H.G. et al. (eds.) (2008): Glo­bali­zation and Environmental Challen­ges: Reconceptualizing Security in the 21^st Century, Springer Verlag.

Brauch, H.G. et al. (eds.) (2009): Facing Global Environmental Change - Environmental, Human, Energy, Food, Health and Water Security Concepts, Springer Verlag.

Brown, O. (2007): Weather of Mass Destruction? The rise of climate change as the "new" security issue, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), December.

Brown, O. & Crawford, A. (2009): Climate Change and Security in Africa. A Study for the Nordic-African Foreign Ministers Meeting, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), March.   

Brzoska, M. (2008): Klimawandel -- ein Sicherheitsproblem?, Friedensgutachten 2008, Münster, 175-185.

Brzoska, M. (2009): The Securitization of Climate Change and the Power of Conceptions of Security, Security and Peace, 27 (3): 137-145.

Buhaug, H., Gleditsch, N.P. & Theisen, O.M. (2008): Implications of Cli­ma­te Change for Armed Conflict. Paper commissioned by World Bank Group for "Social Dimensions of Climate Change" workshop, Washington, D.C., 5-6 March 2008.

Campbell, K. M. et al. (2007): The Age of Consequences: The Foreign Policy and National Security Implications of Global Climate Change, Washington, DC, Center for Strategic and International Studies, November.

Carius, A. & Lietzmann, K. (eds.) (1999): Environmental Change and Security: A European Perspective, Springer Verlag.

Carius, A., Tänzler, D. & Winterstein, J. (2006): Weltkarte von Umweltkonflikten–Ansätze zur Typologisierung, Berlin/Potsdam.

Carius, A., Tänzler, D. & Maas, A. (2008): Climate Change and Security - Challenges for German Development Cooperation, Eschborn, Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit (gtz).

Collier, P. (2000): Economic Causes of Civil Conflict and Their Implications for Policy, The World Bank, Washington.

CNA (2007): National Security and the Threat of Climate Change, Alexandria, VA, Center for Naval Analysis.

Fagan, B. (2004): The Long Summer. How Climate Changed Civilization, New York, Basic Books, London, W. Clowes Ltd.

Gleditsch, N.P. (1998): Armed Conflict and the Environment: A Critique of the Literature, Journal of Peace Research, 35 (3): 381-400.

Hardin, G. (1968): The Tragedy of the Commons, Science, 162: 1243-1248.

Homer-Dixon, T.F. (1999): Environment, Scarcity, and Violence, Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Le Billion, P. (2001): The Political Ecology of War: Natural Resources and Armed Conflicts, Political Geography, 20 (5): 561-584.

Maas, A. & Tänzler, D. (2009): Regional security implications of climate change. A synopsis, Adelphi Report 01/09, Berlin, Adelphi Consulting.

Nordås, R. & Gleditsch, N.P. (2007): Climate Change and Conflict, Political Geography, 26 (6): 627-736.

Ostrom, E., Burger, J., Field, C.B., Norgaard, R.B. & Policansky, D. (1999): Revisiting the Commons: Local Lessons, Global Challenges, Science, 284: 278-282.

Oßenbrügge, J. (2009): Ressourcenkonflikte in Afrika 2009, Wissenschaft und Frieden, Schwerpunktheft Ressourcenkonflikte, 2/2009.

Raleigh, C. & Urdal, H. (2007): Climate change, environmental degradation and armed conflict, Political Geography, 26 (6): 674-694.

Scheffran, J. & Vogt, W. (eds.) (1998): Kampf um die Natur - Umweltzerstörung and die Lösung ökologischer Konflikte, Darmstadt, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.

Scheffran, J. (2008): Climate change and security, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, May/June, 19-25.

Scheffran, J. (2009): The Gathering Storm - Is Climate Change a Security Threat?, Security Index, 87 (2): 21-31.

Smith, D. & Vivekananda, J. (2007): The links between climate change, peace and war, International Alert, November.

WBGU (2007): World in Transition – Climate Change as a Security Risk, German Advisory Council on Global Change, Berlin, Springer Verlag.

Welzer, H. (2008): Klimakriege – Wofür im 21. Jahrhundert getötet wird, Fischer Verlag.

Worldwatch (annual): State of the World and Vital Signs, www.worldwatch.org .

Zhang, D.D. et al. (2007): Global climate change, war, and population decline in recent human history, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), 104 (40): 19214-19219.

Lecture notes of previous sessions and the readings for the upcoming lecture are available on a restricted access site.