Heated Environment, Armed People: Between “Climate Change Conflict” and “Fragility Conflict” in the Sahel
Date
2024-11-05
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Asian and African Studies
Abstract
The Sahel is a classic example of a region inundated by climate change and conflicts. The region is an ecological hotspot that is on the brink of collapse, as countries in the area are trapped in a vicious cycle of conflict, resource scarcity, and environmental threats, which increase the chances of political instability and civil unrest. Noting that there is a divergent scholarly viewpoint on the relationship between climate change and conflict, this study evaluates the climate change-conflict thesis vis-à-vis the fragility-conflict thesis. It argues that armed conflicts in the Sahel are not exclusively attributable to climate change; rather, other conventional drivers exacerbate the impact of climate change on conflicts. These conventional drivers, framed as fragility indices, play a more significant role in conflict escalation in the Sahel. To this end, this study provides a holistic perspective on conflict dynamics and underscores the intricate interplay between fragility and conflict proliferation. This study adopts a qualitative approach and analyzes secondary data, particularly journal articles, reports, briefs, and developmental indices. The findings show that conditions symptomatic of a fragile state increase the incidence and proliferation of armed conflict in the region. Thus, conflict in the Sahel is a product of amplified pre-existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities and governance challenges.
Description
This is the Accepted Manuscript version of Akinyetun, T. S., Fatai-Abatan, A., & Ogunbodede, N. (2024). Heated Environment, Armed People: Between “Climate Change Conflict” and “Fragility Conflict” in the Sahel. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096241285108, originally published in Journal of Asian and African Studies OnlineFirst. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096241285108.
© The Author(s) 2024. Article Reuse Guidelines (https://sagepub.com/journals-permissions).
Keywords
climate change, conflict, fragility, insecurity, water conflict, climate action, peace, justice and strong institutions
Citation
Akinyetun, T. S., Fatai-Abatan, A., & Ogunbodede, N. (2024). Heated Environment, Armed People: Between “Climate Change Conflict” and “Fragility Conflict” in the Sahel. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096241285108