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Published on: March 31, 2023
Climate change, conflict and health
1Health Policy Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK. egbert.sondorp@lshtm.ac.uk
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|October 31, 2003
Summary
Climate change and conflict both harm health. However, evidence linking climate change impacts like environmental degradation to conflict is lacking, contradicting common claims.
Area of Science:
- Environmental science
- Conflict studies
- Public health
Background:
- Both conflict and climate change pose significant threats to global health.
- The purported causal link between climate change and conflict is a subject of ongoing debate and policy consideration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the evidence supporting the hypothesis that climate change drives conflict.
- To examine the validity of claims linking environmental degradation and resource scarcity to conflict initiation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing research on climate change impacts and conflict.
- Analysis of theoretical frameworks explaining the drivers of armed conflict.
- Assessment of empirical evidence connecting climate-related factors to conflict events.
Main Results:
- While both conflict and climate change have detrimental health consequences, direct evidence for climate change causing conflict is insufficient.
- Current theories on the causes of conflict do not support the hypothesis that climate change is a primary driver.
- Environmental degradation and freshwater shortages, often cited as climate change consequences, have not been conclusively linked to conflict initiation.
Conclusions:
- The assertion that climate change leads to conflict lacks robust empirical support.
- Existing conflict theories provide alternative explanations for the causes of violence.
- Further research should focus on refining our understanding of the complex interplay between environmental factors and societal stability, rather than assuming a direct causal link to conflict.
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