Climate Change, Peace and Security UN CC:eLearn online course: Understanding Climate-Related Security Risks Through an Integrated Lens

• Level: Intermediate
• Time commitment: 4.5 hours
• Learning product: online course (self-paced)
• Sector: multisector
• Language: English
• Certificate available: from UN CC:e-Learn website

This course is hosted on UN CC:e-Learn. Please find theClimate change, peace and security course, where you can enrol for full access.

Introduction

Climate change is considered by many as among the greatest risks for peace and security in the 21st century. As the planet’s temperature rises, extended droughts, rising sea levels, and more frequent and intense storms are affecting the lives and livelihoods of people in all corners of the globe. Particularly in conflict affected settings, these impacts can compound economic, social or political drivers of insecurity, leaving already vulnerable populations on the frontlines of multiple, intersecting crises.

This self-paced, online courseunpacks the interlinkages between climate change, peace and security and explores opportunities for promoting inclusive climate action, conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Recognizing that challenges associated with climate change and insecurity do not impact everyone equally, the course includes a special focus on assessing the ways gender norms and other factors of social identity shape how people from different backgrounds experience and respond to these emerging risks.

Upon completion, course participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to analyze different contexts affected by climate change and insecurity, and design interventions to prevent and manage associated risks.

This article provides an overview of the course. The full course with all videos, quizzes plus learning material can be accessed herethrough a free registration on the UNCC:e-Learn website. For more information on the course structure, methodology, learning objectives and completion requirements, please download the course syllabus.

Institutional background

This training has been developed through a collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, the Climate Security Mechanism, UN Women, the One UN Climate Learning Partnership and adelphi, in partnership with the European Union and the Government of Finland.

Who would find this useful?

The course has been designed to appeal to a broad range of policymakers, practitioners or researchers seeking to better understand the linkages between climate change, peace and security. It begins with a presentation of the topic from a wide-angle lens, highlighting intersections between and the mutually reinforcing nature of multiple risks and setting the stage for narrower and more focused subtopics as participants advance through the content.

The first introductory module targets policymakers, peace and development practitioners, climate and environmental specialists, researchers and academics, and students with a general interest in deepening their knowledge on the interlinkages between climate change, peace, and security.

The second module, on conducting integrated analysis, targets those who have expertise in conducting conflict, climate or gender analysis (e.g. for the purposes of strategy development, planning, programme design, policy analysis, or research).

The final module, on programme design, is specifically geared towards those who design and implement policies, strategies and projects related to peacebuilding, climate action or gender equality.

THE COURSE SHOULD THEREFORE BE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE FOLLOWING AUDIENCES:

• Political analysts and peacebuilding practitioners
• Climate adaptation specialists
• Gender and inclusion advisors

Training material

The course is divided into three distinct modules. Each module has specific learning objectives and features an exciting mix of expert video interviews, case studies, and presentation of the latest research on climate-security, making for a rich and engaging learning experience.

MODULE 1 : Climate Change, Peace and Security

The introductory module provides an overview of the interlinkages between climate change, peace and security. Designed for a broad range of policymakers and practitioners, this module introduces the core concepts and principles essential for understanding and addressing compound climate-security risks. The module highlights the importance of applying an integrated lens to assess the ways gender norms and other factors of social identity shape how people from different backgrounds experience and respond to these emerging risks.

MODULE 2 : Conducting Integrated Analysis

Module 2 introduces an approach for conducting integrated analysis of compound climate-related security risks, applying a gender and social inclusion lens. Guided through a set of interactive case studies, learners apply climate-smart and conflict-sensitive analytical tools and methods for data collection and analysis, and assess possible entry points for inclusive peacebuilding, conflict prevention and climate adaptation.

MODULE 3 : Entry Points for Policymaking and Programme Design

The final module focuses on applying results from integrated analysis to design effective policies, strategies and programmes, including monitoring and evaluating the impact of addressing climate-related security risks.

The module is designed to respond to the learning needs of different groups of participants responsible for the design and implementation of policy, planning and programmatic interventions in different thematic areas. Specific target groups include those that design and implement policies and programmes for climate adaptation and mitigation, peacebuilding and conflict prevention, and gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, participants will be able to::

• Identify climate-related security risks and their impacts on different groups of people
• Conduct integrated conflict and climate analysis, including by using a gender and social inclusion lens
• Design policies, strategies, and programmatic interventions that integrate climate change, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and gender equality objectives