This note explains the importance of using a conflict-sensitive approach to respond to climate change in conflict-prone or conflict-affected contexts. It offers guidelines and emerging principles on how climate change and development policymakers and practitioners can promote peace-positive climate change adaptation actions which can yield the double dividend of building resilience to climate change and conflict.

This paper is a collection of reflections from a field visit to three districts in the middle hills and Terai belt of eastern Nepal (Sunsari, Dhankuta and Morang) which set out to explore the various dimensions of the resilience of climate-affected communities.

This paper outlines the climate-conflict interlinkages and the challenges involved in responding to their combined challenge. Establishing the overall goal of international policy on adaptation as helping people in developing countries adapt successfully to climate change even where there is state fragility or conflict risk, the paper makes and explains eight specific policy recommendations.