Climate as a Catalyst for Global Conflicts

Columbia Energy Exchange

Climate change isn't just an environmental threat—it's becoming a catalyst for conflict.

Over the past decade, rising temperatures, water shortages, and other environmental disruptions have fueled tensions from the deserts of Iraq to the mountains of Nepal. And according to journalist Peter Schwartzstein, we're witnessing the emergence of a new, dangerous phenomenon: climate-related violence.

In his new book, "The Heat and the Fury: On the Frontlines of Climate Violence," Schwartzstein takes readers on a harrowing journey, revealing how climate change is fundamentally reshaping human conflict.

What happens when water becomes scarce? How do extreme weather events transform recruitment strategies for terrorist groups? And are even wealthy democracies vulnerable to this emerging form of societal stress?

Peter is an award-winning journalist specializing in climate security with extensive reporting experience across the Middle East and Africa. His work has been featured in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Foreign Policy. As a journalist who has been chased by kidnappers and has navigated dangerous environments to tell critical stories, Schwartzstein offers a unique, ground-level perspective on how climate change is reshaping global security.