Climate Change Related Conflict

Abstract

Globally, at least 27 million people are displaced due to climate related conflicts each year. It is projected that by 2050, 150 million of people will be forcefully displaced due to climate changes conflicts. Africa forms the largest portion of the population that is affected by climate change having registered 240 cases of drought within a period of 30 years. In Kenya, Northern region experiences climate change rapidly resulting to scarcity of water and pastures. Owing to that, this region is predominantly used for pastoralism leaving pastoralist community without any option apart from seeking for alternative sources for their domestic animals. These results to conflict as community compete for resources which have claimed more lives. The purpose of this study was to analyze relationship between climate changes and related conflicts. The target population of this study was community conservancies located in Isiolo and Samburu Counties, which are more prone to resource related conflict. By analyzing the conflict sensitivity of natural resource management in the community conservancies, the study established that threats of increased conflict are as a result of climate change. Scarcity and competition on resources has heightened insecurity and conflict in a large part of Northern Kenya. The study also established that threatmultiplying effect of climate change depends on nature and efficiency of mechanisms for natural resource management, and upon the coping capacities and strategies of local communities. The study also recommends that conflict threat of climate change can be prevented or mitigated solely through natural resource management and adaptation at the local level. The unprecedented pace and scale of climate change threatens to overwhelm local coping capacities and so will require an urgent and coordinated response at the national level to support local capacities and adaptation strategies. The recommendations that arise from this study are therefore directed primarily towards the Kenyan Government.