Our work in Kashmir is strengthening the understanding of the impact of climate change in the region, and its intersection with conflict, by recognising the opportunities created when communities across the Line of Control (LoC) work together to face a shared problem.
The work brings together academia, relevant local bureaucracies, civil society and communities to discuss climate change issues. We’re supporting civil society partners to raise awareness of climate change risks and opportunities at community-level, develop local responses, engage and train journalists, and promote environmental cooperation as a way of building confidence between divided communities. Research will be conducted on the nexus between climate change and conflict, which in turn will build our connections with climate change and environmental experts in the field.
This work focuses on three key areas:
Improved understanding of how the environmental challenges in Kashmir interact with conflict
Environmental challenges such as extreme temperatures, drought and flooding are increasingly visible in the Kashmir region, but the exact nature of how this interacts with conflict is not fully understood. The nexus between climate and conflict is both visible at the regional level in India and Pakistan, but also in increasing vulnerabilities and tensions on both sides of the Line of Control. Along with our partners, we are exploring two primary issues: water management, and urbanisation and internal migration, and also include broader analysis to continue to identify any other potential entry points. This will help us understand how water scarcity and management issues contribute to conflict and, in the longer term, how climate change adaptation measures and environmental cooperation can potentially build confidence across the Line of Control.
Engagement of local communities on both sides of the Line of Control, with active participation of women and youth, in identifying climate action opportunities
Protecting and supporting the space for civil society on both sides of the Line of Control is important for building capacities for peacebuilding in the region. We will work with our existing civil society networks to develop local actions on environmental issues, to build confidence and capacities to engage on the intersection between conflict and climate. This will enable local civil society to build greater legitimacy on these issues within the community and with local government.
Improved engagement between civil society, experts and local government authorities to improve conflict sensitivity of environmental actions
This work will begin through targeted engagement on both sides to build the confidence and capacity to use the environment and climate change as a confidence-building mechanism.
Photo: The Kashmir valley. © Charlotte Melly/Conciliation Resources 2017
This work has been funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).