Image by unhcr.org
"We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it."
-Barack Obama, Former US President
International Humanitarian Law is a set of rules and directives that protect individuals who have been victims of armed conflicts. The law lays down guidelines but it is the humanitarian organizations that work towards its successful implementation. International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are the arms that strive towards limiting the use and effects of armed conflicts. While armed conflict creates physical and mental agony, rapid climate change is aggravating the devastating situation of the society. The exploitation of natural resources, and excessive pollution by humans, has caused an unidentifiable and detrimental pattern in the climate. Armed Conflict and Climate Change might look like two different things. But, on a closer understanding, they have proved to be two sides of the same coin. Both affect each other in some inseparable ways, and both can be mitigated with some co-operation as well.
Armed Conflict causing Climate Change
Humanitarian organizations are necessary for working towards a corrective measure of Climate Change. Climate change affects humanitarian vulnerabilities, and humanitarian vulnerabilities are escalated due to climate change. Gao has been traumatized by regular armed conflicts. The people are insecure to travel and move out. The floods in 2019 aggravated the issue and suffering. While there was a dire need of water and resources to sustain humanity, the fear of being attacked by tribes and bandits prohibited people from venturing forth. Society flourished only near water sources, leading to uneven distribution of resources along with the growing trauma over arms and conflict. The correlation between armed conflict and climate change signifies the need for organizations, people, and institutions to collectively work for the common good by working at the ground level. Humanitarian organizations being propagators of ground level work and being closely connected with victims of armed conflict, serve as avenues to cater to the distressing climate change problem. The situation in Gao is a single example, the long drought in Mali, continuing conflict in Yemen and the continuously changing climate patterns makes both occurrences a common phenomenon. The increasing frequency, intensity, duration and range of extreme weather threatens to increase humanitarian need and derail global development.
Climate Change Causing Armed Conflict
Climate change fuels humanitarian crisis and vice versa. Armed conflicts end up toxicating the soil, water and air. Carbon dioxide emissions from militaries and weapons during wars, is a huge cause of an imbalance in the environment. This toxication leads to a sudden rise in pollution levels, leading to climate change. Thus, by mitigating armed conflicts, organizations have indirectly been contributing towards climate action as well. Scarcity leads to conflict, and recent trends have made it evident that climate change leads to scarcity. The scarcity of natural resources like clean water and sufficient food produced in Iraq in 2014 has sparked a conflict of interest among people. Conflicts in Somalia and Syria have found their roots in prolonged droughts and desertification. The tussle escalated and led to inclusion of military and arms to control the struggle for resources. If scarcity, heatwaves, desertification and extreme climate change can be controlled and looked into at initial levels, climatic factors contributing towards conflict can be mitigated. U.S. National Security has argued, drastic climatic changes acting as a “catalyst for conflict” and possible contributor to the conflict in the Arctic. Thus, by helping climate action, Humanitarian organizations are preventing conflicts as well. ‘Scarcity Conflicts’ once controlled can prevent the extension of ‘Threat Multiplier’.
Humanitarian Organizations Assisting in Climate Action
The Climate Centre of the International Federation of the Red Cross (ICCR) and Crescent Societies (IFRC) is a clear example of cross-refer and interdisciplinary protection. On one hand, IFRC makes sure to protect the devastating climate change effects, on the other hand their collaboration with the Red Cross facilitates humanitarian efforts as well. In a similar manner, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) has contributed tremendously in the medical and social needs of victims of wars alongside working towards disaster management. These organizations have realized that while mitigating one factor, others would automatically be reduced. Failing to precisely delineate scope-conditions for a mechanism can yield contradictory results for statistical studies of the same hypothesis.
Darfur Conflict is a perfect example of conflict affecting climate action. The Sudanese military has been consistently fueling conflicts in the area. Recent droughts, and living on the verge of marginalization and scarcity tips off the conflict in the aggressive direction. UN World Food Programme has tried to cool down the conflict by providing victims and the people resources to sustain. The efforts have yielded positive results, suggesting that climate action can help mitigate the effects of conflict as well. Elaborating on the other side of the spectrum, climate change would be handled more efficiently through humanitarian organizations. Their close coordination with people gain their trust and motivates a larger participation base, both towards armed conflict and climate as well. Their efforts in sensitizing the people towards climate action would be a huge success. Humanitarian organizations specialize in helping people in distress. Climate Action would be an excellent place for them to learn and evolve.
And most importantly, the majority of natural disasters these days are taking place due to climate change or human intervention. The effect of a changing climate will be seen in the changing dynamics and dimensions of humanitarian crises. Humanitarian Organizations working for climate action would be a win-win situation. Africa, Kenya, South Sudan and even India, have seen waves of refugees and conflicts rising and aggravating because of floods, landslides, scarcity and heat waves. Humanitarian organizations dedicating their resources to climate action, would in turn prevent disaster displacement. Preventing conflict from expanding, would be an efficient use of resources than dedicating the same to cure the victims of aggravated armed conflict. The Myanmar refugee crisis has been reduced to a manageable extent after humanitarian organizations like Goonj, Save the Children Foundationhave stepped in to save them. Utilization of resources for refugee crisis and climate action acts as a preventive measure that protects further ‘multiplier threat’.
Humanitarian organizations have contributed to the UN and its efforts soon after its inception. The author finds that the humanitarian community was coordinated in its initial engagement with the climate change regime. Humanitarian agencies coauthored submissions to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). While the governments and international organizations are busy formulating policies, Humanitarian organizations are working tremendously to ensure proper implementation of the policies. The leaders of major humanitarian organizations spoke on co-organized panels on the humanitarian perils of climate change. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) was one of the initial task forces which helped in taking forward and popularizing the Climate Change Movements. The Red Cross, Oxfam, World Food Programme are some humanitarian organizations working towards a better future. Humanitarian Organizations have been acting as a connection between the people and the governments. Their efforts and initiatives like community clubs, One Person One plant, Each One Teach One have been a massive success because of their involvement and close relationship with society.
Humanitarian action would be required to an increased extent because the unpredictable climate will undoubtedly cause more problems than solutions. Active participation of Humanitarian Organizations can resolve the uncertainty created by human intervention and climate change. They could help in reducing vulnerabilities all together instead of working only when a disaster occurs. Population, distance and discomfort can be easily bridged with the active involvement of Humanitarian Organizations. Humanitarian Organizations like Red Cross and Oxfam have been striving to bridge the gaps between conflict and change.
The consistent pressure of absence of resources, and putting themselves in front of people who have no will to survive, makes it difficult for humanitarian organizations to take up another task on their shoulders. Climate change would be an added burden on the shoulders of these organizations. The Red Cross, Oxfam, Goonj are not funded by the government explicitly. They run on grants and fundraising. Another responsibility of climate action would make their original job even more exhausting. These loopholes and fallacies in the system, do not provide any substantial difference in the sustainability of the world. Climate change cannot be handled by the organizations when they do not even have resources to prevent conflicts. In such a scenario, is it even reasonable to burden them?
Conclusion
Humanitarian Organizations are themselves in a resource crunch. Burdening them might look like an added responsibility, but the benefits they reap in controlling armed conflict and climate change together makes it worth investing time and resources. Future prevention has to be met by cooperation and coordination. The uncertainty possessed by climate change is taking a toll on everyone’s lives. Human beings have already made the environment suffer a lot. Climate Change and Armed Conflicts can be handled in a better and efficient manner through intervention of Humanitarian Organizations. Though, they do not possess an expertise in the field, the are suitable for the cause. They need assistance and co-operation in form of resources, guidance and participation from the general public.Humanitarian Organizations are our best resort to involve, engage and motivate people as well.
The article has been authored by Aditi Singh, a first year student of Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, Vishakhapatnam (DSNLU).