Locally led action on climate, peace, and stability: experiences from Latin America, the Middle East, Central and South Asia

The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue — it is a risk multiplier that threatens peace and security across regions. From resource scarcity and forced displacement to the erosion of livelihoods and social cohesion, climate impacts are increasingly intersecting with political, economic and social vulnerabilities, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected countries. While climate change is a global issue, effective solutions must be grounded in local contexts.
Building on the experiences of the EU-UNEP Partnership on Climate, Environment, Peace and Security-including channeling funding directly to local actors to empower them to lead and implement climate action, this session will explore and share good practices in locally led, climate-resilient peacebuilding initiatives grounded in nature-based solutions.
Through targeted discussions and interactive exchange, the event will provide a platform for local actors and communities from climate security hotspots in Latin America, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia to share their experiences and lessons learned in addressing environmental and climate-related risks to peace and stability at the local and community levels. Participants will discuss integrated and context-specific approaches that combine climate change adaptation, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding, with a particular emphasis on nature-based solutions.
The session will also identify policy entry points to ensure that local perspectives and experiences inform decision-making at national, regional, and global levels, and to support the scaling up of effective climate-security solutions across and within regions.