As part of Geneva Peace Week 2025, the Kofi Annan Foundation, SeeD – Centre for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD), Saferworld, and KRIS for Peace co-hosted an in-person workshop exploring how practical, evidence-based tools can strengthen peace and resilience in the face of climate-related challenges.
Building on real-world experience from South Sudan, Niger, and the Philippines, the session highlighted community-led and youth-led approaches that help practitioners understand the complex links between climate, conflict, and social cohesion, and design interventions that translate analysis into action.
Key takeaways:
- In a world facing polycrises—from climate change to conflict and environmental degradation—context-sensitive tools can help make sense of complexity, shape local strategies, and empower communities.
- Tools tested in South Sudan, Niger, and the Philippines provided valuable insights on how climate, peace, and the environment intersect—and how this understanding informs early warning, prevention, and conservation strategies.
- Youth inclusion is essential. Young people’s engagement in environmental action can be a powerful entry point for participation in peacebuilding.
- Mental health matters. Environmental degradation, insecurity, and well-being are deeply interconnected and must be addressed together.
- Resilience and vulnerability often coexist. Factors like social media or trust can either strengthen or undermine resilience, underscoring the need for nuanced, contextual approaches.
Learn more about the tools and initiatives featured in the session:
SeeD’s work in Niger on pathways from climate stressors to recruitment into armed groups:
Saferworld’s Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility for conservation actors in South Sudan:
- A blog written especially for Geneva Peace Week
- Information on the global resource launched at the World Conservation Congress by the IUCN Academy
- Analysis on conservation in South Sudan on the critical role of communities and centring the people for effective conservation strategies.
KRIS and the Kofi Annan Foundation’s youth-led research and training on climate and conflict resilience in the Philippines
