Environmental Peacebuilders Working in the Midst of War

Fossil-fueled climate disruption is driving political instability around the world. The relationship between climate disasters and conflict are well-established — and also complicated. Even in war-torn regions like Israel and Palestine, people work across political and ethnic divides to address humanitarian and climate crises. The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies has helped bring together Israelis, Palestinians, Moroccans, and Jordanians to study and tackle shared environmental challenges. How does climate disruption reshape cross-border relations? And can climate cooperation become a force for peace?

Episode Guests: 

Peter Schwartzstein, Environmental Journalist; Climate Security Researcher

Fareed Mahameed, Assistant Director, Center for Transboundary Water Management, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies

Liana Berlin-Fischler, Associate Director, Center for Applied Environmental Diplomacy, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies

For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org.

Highlights: 

12:42 Peter Schwartzstein on seeing the link between climate and violence

21:02 Peter Schwartzstein on the importance of governance 

22:56 Peter Schwartzstein on better governance examples

27:17 Peter Schwartzstein on the danger of climate induced violence in the US

31:13 Peter Schwartzstein on new paths for cooperation 

36:49 Liana Berlin-Fischler on moving to Israel 

37:59 Fareed Mahameed on “fixing the world”

42:16 Fareed Mahameed on being compelled to help 

47:05 Fareed Mahameed on figuring out what a community needs most 

51:30 Liana Berlin-Fischler on the Jumpstarting Hope in Gaza project

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