ZIF Xchange workshop on peace mediation and the climate crisis brings experts together in Berlin

On 18 September, ZIF hosted an Xchange workshop in Berlin on ‘Assessing the Challenges & Opportunities of Climate Change for Peace Mediation Processes’ with 15 experts and practitioners from the field. The aim of the event was to discuss the challenges and opportunities of integrating climate aspects into mediation processes.

The opening speakers were Dr Kira Vinke from the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and Tim Epple from the PeaceRep project at the University of Edinburgh. In an interactive fishbowl discussion, moderated by Thomas Ritzer (Berghof Foundation), Natasha Carmi (Geneva Water Hub) and Sebastian Kratzer (HD Centre) contributed their expertise and discussed climate-related issues in conflicts.

The participants worked in groups to exchange on their approaches that integrate climate aspects into their peace mediation work. “The analysis of conflicts must become more climate-conscious and climate-informed”, emphasised Amelie Overmann, Head of project for ‘Strengthening mediation and dialogue capacities’ at ZIF. “It's not about reinventing the wheel but using the tools that already exist in a meaningful way and learning about them from each other.”

Important findings from the workshop also include the fact that environmental factors such as water can serve as confidence-building measures in some contexts, while in other cases they form the core of a conflict. It also became clear that climate, environment and peace need to be approached in an interdisciplinary way.

ZIF would like to thank all participants for their valuable contributions and for facilitating these important discussions.