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Capacity-building

Climate change and its foreign policy implications at the global, regional and local levels are complex and dynamic. In order to formulate appropriate policies and long-term strategies, as well as to conduct climate outreach, a thorough grasp of climate diplomacy, and an understanding of the characteristics of climate impacts and politics in each region, are needed. In this context, the German Federal Foreign Office and adelphi have taken on a training programme for further developing the capacities and knowledge of diplomats and international staff since 2011.

Training on climate security and diplomacy in Cameroon, 2019

Climate security trainings

Does your organisation want to do more hands-on work with climate security? adelphi, the Berlin-based think tank that runs the CSEN Secretariat, has developed a ready-to-use, modular climate security training programme. Participants will learn to better assess climate-security risks, increase capacities to integrate these risks into programming, and enhance action to address these risks on the ground.

    Who is it for?

    The programme is designed for:

    • policymakers
    • diplomats
    • researchers and analysts
    • international organization staff
    • private companies

    We have already carried out trainings for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the European External Action Service (EEAS), and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, among others. Want to do a training online? No problem. The tools and experience for it are ready to use.

      What's in a training?

      Participants address several questions:

      • What are the security impacts of climate change, which risks emerge, and which regions are most affected?
      • Which policy processes exist at the UN and other international and regional levels? What are national approaches to climate diplomacy?
      • What are entry points for policies, interventions, projects and programs to respond to security risks with concrete, preventive action?
      • Which tools exist to analyse conflicts and design responses?

      What do participants get?

      • a selection of 20+ training modules, consisting of presentations, group work, and simulation games, all tailored to their knowledge level and their organization's objectives
      • a seminar handbook with more exercises and reports on subjects from water and land to climate-induced migration
      • case studies from around the world and useful inforgraphics
      • the chance to work closely with climate security experts from around the world
      MOOC, climate change, peace, security, gender

      adelphi and UN organisations develop self-paced course on climate change, peace and security

      MOOC, climate change, peace, security, gender

      adelphi and five UN organisations developed the self-paced online course "Climate Change, Peace and Security: Understanding Climate-Related Security Risks Through an Integrated Lens". The course unpacks the interlinkages between climate change, peace and security and explores opportunities for promoting inclusive climate action, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

      Training Programme for Diplomats

      Pia van Ackern and Benjamin Pohl (adelphi) lead, together with IHEDN, workshop on climate and security at the European Security and Defence College

      In cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office, adelphi conducts targeted policy briefings for German Embassy officials, officers from German implementing agencies, and representatives of German foundations in selected capitals. The briefings elaborate on climate security risks in specific regions and provide an introduction to the Foreign Office’s approach and efforts to develop a foreign policy perspective on climate security risks. Participants further develop their knowledge on the topic in order to be able to undertake climate diplomacy outreach in line with international processes and German foreign policy priorities. Furthermore, in order to enable foreign ministry staff to apply central concepts of climate diplomacy, the Foreign Office has embarked on a two-track executive training programme for diplomats. The first track is a yearly, week-long training programme by the Foreign Office for younger German diplomats on current and main topics of climate and energy policy. adelphi offers a second training track for diplomats, both German and foreign, which covers an array of foreign policy instruments, as well as approaches and actors’ perspectives on climate change.

      Explore some of our past trainings

      adelphi and partners hold climate-fragility training in Nepal

      Climate change and security focus of training organized by OSCE and adelphi in Bishkek

      An inside look at climate-sensitive peace programming

      Looking for a self-paced training?

      The Handbook on Climate Change and Security is a compilation of introductory texts, key literature and reflection questions in the field of climate change and security. It addresses:

      • Water
      • Food and land
      • Migration and displacement
      • Energy and minerals
      • Cities
      • Governance
      • Climate change, civil unrest and terrorism

      In addition to covering the impact areas above, it includes the Lake Chad case-study from the flagship report Shoring Up Stability, and addresses climate security in the UN Security Council. Furthermore, the chapter "Sustaining peace in a warming climate" includes a comprehensive overview of the actors and crosssectoral issues relevant for climate-sensitive peacebuiliding.