Climate Change and Conflict Prevention: Lessons From Darfur

In “Climate Change and Conflict Prevention: Lessons from Darfur,” J. Andrew Plowman uses the Darfur conflict as a case study to examine how the effects of climate change might lead to future violent conflicts, and assesses the best way to prevent these conflicts. In his research, Plowman reviews the environmental security literature and applies events from Darfur to climate change models. This research suggests that climate change is likely to increase the potential for intrastate and communal conflicts, as populations adjust to changes in the environmental systems that support their livelihoods. Ultimately, Plowman’s examination of the Darfur conflict recommends a focus on structural conflict prevention through building adaptability to climate change and through the strengthening of institutions, particularly in fragile states.