Global Warming and Its Challenge to World Peace

Australian Wildfires Caused By Severe Drought, Possibly Global Warming

The recent wildfires in southern Australia have presented some of the most horrific images in memory, made all the more so by the news that some of those fires were deliberately set by an arsonist.  200 or more victims had little chance to escape the fiery inferno because of the severe drought that has ravaged Australia since 2002.  More than a few scientists attribute this drought, in part, to global warming.  We are just beginning to see the terrible impact of climate change on human beings.

Global Warming Will Cause Sea Levels to Rise

Over the next century global warming will continue and human beings will see more hurricanes, floods storms of all kinds, but most critically, the melting of polar ice and the rising of sea levels. As the seas rise, coastal areas that are now inhabited will be flooded and whole populations will have to move-islands like the Maldives, Bangladesh, even large cities like New York City and Los Angeles may be submerged.  Large numbers of people will be on the move, in search of new homes, perhaps new countries.  With huge numbers of people migrating you have the ingredients for conflict, a perfect storm of conflict.

Displacement of People Equals Perfect Opportunities for Conflict

I have even heard it suggested that as the world warms, people will migrate to the colder areas of the world, like Canada and Siberia. Think about that. How happy would Russia and Canada be to welcome huge numbers of people migrating to their countries? How glad would North and South Dakota be to welcome an influx of people moving there? Any large displacement and movement of people is difficult and upsetting to the people moving and to the infrastructures and people providing services in the place they go to.  This is a great brew for conflict!  Look at the ingredients: the haves, the have-nots, people forced to leave beloved homes, loss and survival, suspicion of strangers, panic, fear, anger, resentment.

We Need to Start Planning How to Manage Conflict in the Future

There are large numbers of ecological activists and scientists right now who are doing heroic and fabulous work waking up the world to the very real challenges of global warming and encouraging all of us to be more ecologically sensitive in how we live our lives.  There is one additional piece that needs to be added to the planning for the future, however, and that is to begin to prepare for and manage the conflict that will inevitably come as a result of global warming.

Bringing People Together - to Listen, to Arrive at Decisions Respectfully

How should such planning for the future be done? My sense is that all viewpoints should be represented and people should talk to each other with deep respect.  I am awed by the power of the Dynamic Facilitation model to bring people from very diverse backgrounds and viewpoints together, to arrive at a unanimous plan for where they want to go together.  Using Dynamic Facilitation, among other tools, would be a great place to start. It is also clear that the world’s countries will need to learn how to talk with each other, and as we know, most countries lack the ability to talk clearly and directly to each other.  The Organization for International Cooperation has made teaching governments how to communicate with each other respectfully its mission. Check out their work as well.

Questions of Inquiry:

1.  What issues do you see from global warming that might cause conflict in the future?

2. Do you think planning to manage potential conflict in the future is a wise idea?

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