Environmental peacebuilding and the gender–climate–security nexus: Global frameworks and local realities in an increasingly volatile world

Abstract

In an era defined by interconnected crises—climate change, violent conflicts, resurgence of nationalist-populist discourses, and deepening gender inequalities—furthering our understanding on how these convergent issues intersect, and fostering synergistic action, is increasingly urgent. The threats posed by climate insecurity do not affect everyone equally. Women and girls living in conflict zones are among the most vulnerable to the climate crisis and the most underserved by both peacebuilding and climate action. Environmental peacebuilding can enhance its potential to provide effective solutions to these critical polycrises by responding to the changing climate while integrating gender considerations. Recent field research guided by a gender–climate–security nexus framework shows that interventions around environmental issues and climate change constitute meaningful avenues for women’s political and economic empowerment, facilitating their efforts as peacebuilders. Milestone anniversaries of several significant normative frameworks—the Beijing Declaration, the UNSCR 1325, the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals—offer opportunities for stocktaking and charting a decisive path forward. Drawing on assessments of recent trends and analyses of field research findings, this paper argues for an approach to environmental peacebuilding that incorporates further attention to the gender–climate–security nexus to promote inclusive, climate-responsive, and gender-transformative peace for all.