Advancing Integrated and Inclusive Approaches to Address Overlapping Forms of Insecurity: A Call for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Alarming reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) make it clear that climate action cannot wait. Scientists predict that climate change could push up to 132 million people into extreme poverty within 10 years, and by 2050 climate-related displacement could affect 31–143 million people across Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia (IPCC, 2022). Women and other marginalized groups on the frontlines of the climate crisis face disproportionate impacts and increased exposure to climate-driven insecurity. The implications for thehumanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus are severe. This briefing argues that the only way to effectively address the overlapping challenges of climate change, gender inequality, conflict, and humanitarian emergencies is through holistic solutions. Research shows that climate change can inflame conflict dynamics by aggravating underlying tensions, such as weak social cohesion and political instability, in addition to depleting natural resources (Rüttinger et al., 2015; Smith et al., 2021). When conflict, humanitarian emergencies, and fragility overlap with climate change, risks multiply, and the adaptive capacity of states and communities diminishes. This dynamic can translate to countries and communities being less able to absorb and cope with climate shocks.