Context
Somalia is highly affected by the impacts of climate change and climate shocks, which intersect with long-standing drivers of conflict, creating complex risks to peace and stability.
According to Strata’s hotspot mapping, 48 per cent of Somalia’s population are affected by overlapping environmental, climate, conflict, and socioeconomic pressures. 11 per cent of the country’s population are affected by moderate to critical severity, reflecting overlapping pressures such as drought, land degradation, food insecurity, poor service access, and violent conflict. This concentration of risk underscores the urgent need for integrated climate security responses in the country.
In 2020, the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), now the United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), appointed Christophe Hodder, the first Climate, Peace and Security (CPS) Advisor to a Political Mission globally to address this intersection.
The CPS advisor provides support to the UN in Somalia and to the Federal Government of Somalia in addressing the overlap of climate risks and conflict through three pillars; 1) regular analysis, 2) coordination, and 3) technical advisory. The CPS advisor aims to empower Somali institutions to effectively manage natural resources, mitigate environmental risks, and adapt to climate change through measures that avoid prompting or exacerbating conflict. The advisor also supports the development of national environmental policies and frameworks that align with international standards and the SDGs, incorporating CPS expertise.
The advisor model has led to key partnerships with FAO, IOM, UNDP and UNEP and driving multiple initiatives in Somalia working to address climate, peace, and security. The ongoing Jowhar Offstream Storage Programme (JOSP) is an initiative aiming to rehabilitate a water system in Hirshabelle State to build community resilience by reducing flood risks, mitigating droughts, and working to reduce conflicts over natural resources. The Deegan Bile Projects (concluded in 2024), implemented with IOM in Galmudug and Hirshabelle, fostered environmental peacebuilding in communities divided along clan lines, where climate-induced resource scarcity can lead to conflict. PROSCAL (concluded in 2023) helped Somali officials enforce a charcoal ban, and addressed deforestation, environmental degradation, and conflict arising from competition for scarce resources through equitable access to energy and rangeland resources.
With the transition from UNSOM to UNTMIS in 2024, CPS support has continued and expanded. It now works to ensure climate-security considerations are embedded in the mission’s new mandate, while providing support to the UN Country Team and the Federal Government of Somalia.
Contact
Mailing address
UN Avenue, Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya
Email: christophe.hodder@un.org
