Role of climate action in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

The United Nations defines world peace as dignity and well-being for all not just the absence of war. The United Nations Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security. It has set aside the 21st of September of each year as a day of peace and non-violence. This International Day of Peace was established in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the United General Assembly, to celebrate the cessation of hostilities and it is commemorated through public awareness on issues related to peace and to show recognition to those who have and are continuing to work hard to end conflict and promote peace. [3]

On another note, this day continues to remind the world about the inequalities, the poverty and the dire conditions of this earth that are caused by climate change causing extreme weather conditions in weaker countries. Poverty and inequality continue to be the largest hindrances to global peace and conflict resolution.

The aim of global peace being ensuring dignity and well-being of people, third world countries suffer from lack of basic human resources such as good, shelter, education and healthcare which are basic human right, indicates that peace can not be achieved while such conditions still exist.

Most countries in Africa depend on agricultural farming and for their rich minerals for economic prosperity and survival. However, climate change is devastating to these countries due to direct threat to their livelihood and economic stability.

While innovation and technology has resulted in globalization, leading to the need to cultivate peace, it has adversely resulted in pollution, overpopulation, overuse of resources and increased activity that has resulted in global warming. The consequences come in the form of Hurricanes experienced in the United States, Andrew, Michael, Sally… their names are endless. Flash floods that have left devastating impacts to the people in Ethiopia mid August 2021 and have worsened the conditions including projected food shortages. [5] Evidently most countries are adversely impacted by climate change.

The United States areas hit by these hurricanes takes a minimum of three months to a maximum of 24 months. However, in countries like Somalia after the recent Cyclone Gati which was deemed the strongest storm in history, per the Food Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, it can take years to restore the citizens to their previous lives before the disaster.

This has led to most of these countries having civil unrests in the fight for resources, political instability and inequality as seen in Somalia. [4] This makes such countries susceptible to attacks of terrorism, exploitation of their resources and other possible things threatening the security and welfare of its resources and its people. [2]

This then prompts the citizens of these countries to flee at the face of civil wars and famine and results in illegal migration that causes overpopulation and overuse of resources that we exhibit in South Africa, as it was reported that in 2013 the largest number of migrants in Africa was found in South Africa (2.4 million, including some 1.5 million from Zimbabwe) which has been increasing continuously and has resulted in more unrests in the form of Xenophobic attacks. [6]

Pollution has also proven to be a big problem in Africa and has resulted in diseases outbreaks such as Typhoid and Polio for some people in Africa. According to the NASA modeling study, approximately 780 000 people in Africa die yearly due to air pollution [1].

All these factors coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed the fact the world still has a long way to go in achieving peace. The United Nations, however, has established in 2015 the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and its resources and ensure that by 2030 the world is peaceful and prosperous. If countries commit to these goals more can be achieved. [7] The Paris Agreement that entered into force on 04 November 2016 was signed by all countries obligating themselves to climate action. There have been youth interventions to transformative change on climate action and the Youth 2030 strategy by the United Nations has opened a channel of engagement with the youth on changes that can be made as they are the “missing piece between development and peace.”

It is on this day that although we are not there yet, we celebrate the progress made and reflect on what we can do better in the future. The awareness should be made now more than ever as we all want a sustainable planet. To celebrate this day make it your point to educate yourself and others about climate change, the causes and impacts of it and how you can make better choices to show that you care about the world that you can live in by visiting https://bennetts423.wixsite.com/seeinggreeners, liking and sharing the content and continuing to follow the blog for more content that enriches your mind and life.

Love green, see green,

Keo

References

1. Bourzac, K. (2019, April 23). Air pollution kills 780,000 people in Africa each year. Retrieved from Chemical and engineering news: https://cen.acs.org/environment/pollution/Air-pollution-kills-780000-people/97/i17

2. Crawford, A. (2021, April 12). Can You Build Peace and Adapt to Climate Change at the Same Time? Retrieved from International Institute for Sustainable Development: https://www.iisd.org/articles/can-you-build-peace-and-adapt-climate-change-same-time

3. International Peace 21 September . (n.d.). Retrieved from United Nations : https://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/events.shtml

4. Makhubela, L. M. (2016, February). Understanding Civil Militia Groups in Somalia. Retrieved from ACCORD: https://www.accord.org.za/conflict-trends/understanding-civil-militia-groups-somalia/

5. OCHA. (2021, July 30). Hunger Hotspots: FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity, August to November 2021 Outlook. Retrieved from Relief web: https://reliefweb.int/report/ethiopia/hunger-hotspots-fao-wfp-early-warnings-acute-food-insecurity-august-november-2021

6. South Africa. (2021). Retrieved from International Organisation for Migration: https://www.iom.int/southern-africa

7. The SDGS in action. (n.d.). Retrieved from United Nations Development Programme: https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals