Policy Briefs on Climate Change and Conflict

This policy brief argues that the persistence of GDP as the organising framework for economic policy is not merely a measurement problem but a governance failure with direct consequences for peace and security. Growth models that reward environmental destruction, deepen inequality within national societies, and misprice systemic risk generate the structural conditions for instability. The Beyond GDP initiative launched under United Nations auspices represents a threshold moment. The brief examines how GDP-centred economic paradigms undermine conflict prevention, resilience, and early warning capacity, and concludes with policy recommendations centred on the development of a single composite wellbeing measure to be reported alongside GDP, together with targeted proposals for multilateral institutions, national governments, and the peacebuilding community.

This policy brief argues that the continued exclusion of Afghan pastoralists from humanitarian, development and national policy frameworks represents a critical policy failure with regional consequences extending to Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asia. Drawing on socio-political and ecological evidence, the brief demonstrates that pastoralists' marginalization undermines the pastoral economy, food security, fuels intercommunal conflict and exposes them to greater risks across border. It calls for the structured integration of pastoralist-responsive approaches that promote pastoralism as a viable and resilient livelihood system in Afghanistan.

This report examines the historic advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 23, 2025. The opinion reframes climate change as not just an environmental challenge, but a defining issue for human rights and global security. Sparked by the voices of Pacific youth and the lived realities of vulnerable nations, the ICJ’s opinion sends a clear message: climate action is now a legal obligation, not a policy preference. The advisory opinion is a watershed moment. It lays a powerful legal foundation for climate action rooted in justice, cooperation, and human security. But legal clarity is just the beginning. Real progress means weaving these principles into policy, practice, and everyday decisions—especially for those most at risk. The ICJ ruling offers a vision of climate protection as the bedrock of sustainable peace and security for generations to come.

This report examines the climate–security nexus through the lens of Germany’s experience, offering insights that are increasingly relevant to global responses. It synthesizes findings from Germany’s National Interdisciplinary Climate Risk Assessment which categorizes climate risks into direct, global, and systemic impacts. The paper also looks toward the future, exploring how insights from the assessment can contribute to discussions at the upcoming COP30. By aligning their efforts, countries can strengthen resilience, foster equitable development, and advance a global response to the intertwined crises of climate and security. In a world where environmental risks transcend borders, this dialogue is not just relevant—it is essential.

This summary report details the discussions, key themes and insights, key learnings, and a roadmap for action that came out of a July 2025 workshop, convened by Toda Peace Institute, adelphi, and ASPI’s Climate & Security Policy Centre in Canberra, Australia. Titled 'Advancing Climate, Peace, Security, and Geopolitical Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region', the workshop addressed the underexplored nexus of climate, peace, and security in Asia and the Pacific. The aim of the workshop was to drive a conversation on priorities and solutions to connect global approaches to climate, peace, and security with regional experts and institutional representatives from across Asia and the Pacific. This helped identify opportunities to generate concrete, region-grounded policy and program options linking climate, peace, and security.