Climate Change: Conflict Dimensions

Climate change is reshaping the parameters of global cooperation and security, with widespread impacts felt across all sectors of society. In 2025, the urgency of climate action centered around the COP 30 summit in Belém, Brazil. Unlike previous conferences, COP 30 emphasized not only emissions reduction and adaptation strategies but also the growing risks of climate-driven conflict. The summit’s goal was to inspire unified action to address the forces behind resource scarcity, migration, and geopolitical instability before they lead to violence. COP 30 brought together negotiators, scientists, activists, and policymakers from nearly 200 countries, seeking to align national interests with global responsibilities. Its agenda was driven by the understanding that climate change acts as a “threat multiplier,” worsening existing tensions in vulnerable communities and turning natural disasters into triggers for unrest. As the Amazon became the symbolic backdrop of the conference, delegates discussed both technical climate strategies and the larger question: Can humanity stay ahead of climate conflict?

The study of climate conflict has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, shaped by an interdisciplinary synthesis of environmental science, political theory, social anthropology, and international relations. This fusion provides the intellectual foundation for understanding how climate change not only affects ecosystems but also transforms political boundaries, social cohesion, and the prospects for peace and conflict in a warming world.