The Environmental Politics of War

This workshop will foster critical discussions around the environmental politics of war and conflict.
About this Event

Warfare and conflict are devastating socially, politically and environmentally, generating mass casualties, displacement, disruption to civic life and a sense of a viable future, and environmental sacrifice zones. From military training to direct conflict, dropping bombs and nuclear weapons, warfare undermines the ecosystems that enable life on earth, namely through dramatic habitat alteration, disturbance and environmental pollution.

Recent years have seen high-profile military conflicts, an increased sense of geopolitical insecurity and active rearmament among many states. The planned expansion of military spending by NATO countries is incompatible global climate targets, namely the goal of limiting warming to less than 2C as established by the Paris Agreement (Wong et al, 2025). However, the diversion of so many resources towards death and destruction instead of life-enabling systems and processes is a political choice, not an inevitability.

In this context, the PSA Environmental Politics Specialist Group is a holding workshop that aims to foster critical discussions around the environmental politics of war and conflict.

We will explore questions such as:

• In what ways do climate and biodiversity collapse serve as ‘threat multipliers’ for human disaster and conflict?

• What are the social, ecological and political ramifications of escalating conflict and warfare?

• What is the environmental politics/impacts of war?

• To what extent are global ‘green transitions’ accelerating militarisation, conflict and sacrifice zones? How can we effect more just transitions?

• Whither possibilities for socio-ecological regeneration in post-conflict zones?

• How might we collectively mitigate escalating militarism and conflict for building more peaceful, just and socio-ecologically resilient societies?

Speakers include:

• Professor Caroline Kuzemko - University of Warwick
• Dr Anabel Marín - Institute of Development Studies
• Ellie Kinney - Conflict and Environment Observatory
• Professor Ewald Engelen - University of Amsterdam
• Dr Nico Edwards - Newcastle University
• Professor Jan Selby - University of Leeds
• Dr Beatrice Mosello - Chatham House

Agenda

🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Arrivals and Coffee
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Panel 1 - The Green Transition, Resources and Geopolitical Conflict
Host: Professor Caroline Kuzemko - University of Warwick

Info: Chair: Professor John Vogler - University of Warwick

🕑: 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Break
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Panel 2 - War: A Cause and Consequence of Climate Change
Host: Ellie Kinney - Conflict and Environment Observatory

Info: Chair: Steve Dunne - University of Warwick

🕑: 12:45 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:45 PM
Panel 3 - Green Rearmament
Host: Professor Ewald Engelen - University of Amsterdam

Info: Chair: Dr Oz Hassan - University of Warwick

🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:00 PM
Break
🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Keynote Lecture: 'Climate Politics in the Shadow of War'
Host: Professor Jan Selby - University of Leeds