Climate change and related environmental degradation are widely recognized as a threat multiplier to international peace and stability. While not necessarily causally linked to armed conflict, natural disasters and extreme weather events reinforce underlying vulnerabilities and compound with conflict risks to destabilize already fragile regions and communities.

Their effects critically challenge livelihoods, economic growth, and development in many already troubled regions of the world: It is estimated that of the twenty most vulnerable and least prepared countries to adapt to climate change, twelve are already in violent conflict.

The climate crisis has thus opened a new frontier in international efforts to address the many multidimensional challenges to sustaining peace in fragile regions. With this conference, the U.S. and Germany will convene senior policymakers, internationally renowned scientists and practitioners to identify a common agenda highlighting the potential of data science, technology and innovation for sustaining peace amidst the climate crisis. Informed by the latest expert insights on the nexus between climate change and international peace and stability, the conference will also contribute towards developing science-based solutions and innovative approaches to policy-making.

The outcomes of the Ministerial Conference will inform the agenda for the G7 Foreign Minister’s summit in May, the Berlin Climate & Security Conference (BCSC) in November, and relevant engagements at COP27. The Ministerial Conference also supports a larger initiative by Germany to advance a common Declaration on Climate, Peace and Stability. All participants of the Ministerial Conference are further invited to join “PREVIEW Dialogue Series 2022”, focusing on data visualizations and convening the scientific community, policymakers and practitioners to co-create an open source visualization platform on climate change-vulnerability-conflict risks.

The Conference is organized by PREVIEW, the German Federal Foreign Office’s department for crisis early warning in co-hosting with the CSO Section of the United States Department of State.