Apply for the AGNES AFRICA’s Climate, Peace and Security Programme 2025 for young changemakers and policymakers
About the Programme
Background of the Programme
The Programme emerges at a critical juncture where environmental change is increasingly influencing global peace and security dynamics. The accelerating impacts of climate change, ranging from prolonged droughts and rising sea levels to extreme weather events, are intensifying existing social, political, and economic pressures. In many regions of Africa, these pressures contribute to heightened competition over natural resources, displacement of populations, and increased vulnerability to conflict, particularly in already fragile countries. Recognizing these growing interlinkages, the international community has call for integrated approaches that address climate change as a driver and multiplier of insecurity. However, there remains a significant capacity gap among practitioners and policymakers in understanding and responding effectively to the complex nexus between climate change, peace, and security. The programme is design to respond to this need by equipping diverse stakeholders with the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills aimed at building practical, cross-cutting solutions for sustainable peace and resilience in the face of the climate crisis.
Mission
To empower current and future leaders with the interdisciplinary knowledge and practical tools needed to address the nexus of climate change, peace, and security through inclusive dialogue, informed policy-making, and strategic action.
Rationale
Scientific evidence and policy assessments are increasingly recognizing climate change acts as a “threat multiplier,” exacerbating existing social, economic, and political tensions, especially in fragile and conflict-affected regions. Climate-induced stressors such as water scarcity, food insecurity, resource competition, displacement, and livelihood disruptions, often contribute to the outbreak or intensification of conflicts. These challenges disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations and regions with weak governance structures, limited resilience, or ongoing instability. Despite increasing awareness, the practical integration of climate considerations into peacebuilding and security strategies remains inconsistent and underdeveloped in Africa. Many professionals in the fields of peace and security, humanitarian assistance, development, and environmental protection do not have adequate access to targeted training that effectively link climate projections with conflict-sensitive practices. This programme addresses this gap by providing learners with skills to analyze, anticipate, and respond to climate dynamics that influence conflict and insecurity with practical approaches for reducing climate risk and fostering peace and cooperation.
Target Groups
Policymakers and government officials in climate and security sectors
Peacebuilders and conflict resolution practitioners
Environmental and humanitarian NGOs
Military and security personnel
Academics, researchers, and students in related fields
Staff of the UN and international agencies
Community leaders and civil society actors working in conflict-affected areas
Aims of the Programme
The aim is to develop the capacity of professionals with analytical and practical skills to assess climate-related security risks and design appropriate, conflict-sensitive, sustainable peace and climate-resilient responses.
Goals
The goal is to build a cadre of informed, skilled, and responsive professionals to advance knowledge exchange, cooperation and preventive diplomacy to address climate-induced security threats through climate-informed early warning systems at local, national, and global levels.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the programme, learners will be able to:
Evaluate the concepts and frameworks at the intersection of climate, peace, and security on different people
Conduct integrated conflict and climate analysis, including by using a gender and social inclusion lens.
Provide entry points and apply conflict-sensitive approaches for policymaking and programme designs that integrate peace, security and gender equality objective
Expected Learning Outcomes
A cadre of trained professionals equipped to bridge climate and security agendas
Improved capacity to manage climate-security risks exacerbating existing tensions or create new threats and design context-appropriate, conflict-sensitive climate action.
Capacity to apply integrated analytical approaches to assess climate-related security risks
Strengthened networks of local and institutional collaboration on climate, peace, and security
The Programme’s units include:
Unit 1: Introduction to Climate Change and Environmental Stressors
Unit 2: Fundamentals of Climate, Peace and Security
Unit 3: Climate Security Nexus: Theoretical and Practical Approaches
Unit 4: Climate Change and Human Mobility
Unit 5: Early Warning Systems and Climate Risk Assessment Tools
Unit 6: Integrating Climate into Peace and Conflict Prevention
Unit 7: Policy and Governance for Climate-Security
Unit 8: Scenario Planning, Simulation, and Action Planning
Unit 9: Project
Link: https://www.agnesafrica.org/
