FG integrates peacebuilding into climate adaptation plan to curb insecurity

The Federal Government has said it is integrating conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding frameworks into its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) as part of efforts to address climate-related vulnerabilities increasingly linked to insecurity across the country.

Salihu Usman, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Peer Learning Forum on the NAP process in conflict-affected countries.

Usman said climate adaptation in fragile settings requires deliberate conflict-sensitive approaches that reflect local dynamics, noting that several security challenges have been exacerbated by climate pressures.

According to him, issues such as farmer-herder clashes, cattle rustling and banditry are partly linked to the effects of climate change, making it necessary to integrate peacebuilding considerations into adaptation planning.

“An important issue considered in the NAP process is conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding,” he said. “The links between climate change and fragility mean it would be a mistake to ignore medium- and long-term adaptation needs in these contexts.”

Usman added that climate change and conflict often reinforce each other, stressing that effective adaptation could help break the cycle by improving livelihoods and addressing underlying drivers of fragility.

He said adaptation interventions must be designed and implemented through a conflict-sensitive lens, particularly in areas already prone to instability.

“Adaptation strategies and options should be implemented through the lens of conflict sensitivity,” he said, adding that integrating peacebuilding into the NAP would ensure broader coverage in vulnerable communities.

He also warned that climate impacts are intensifying globally, with rising extreme weather events threatening livelihoods and biodiversity, and called for urgent action to prevent further deterioration.

Usman noted that Nigeria’s NAP, supported by the Green Climate Fund, builds on the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action, including a climate risk and vulnerability assessment to identify at-risk communities and propose appropriate adaptation measures.

Also speaking, Iniobong Abiola-Awe, Director of Climate Change in the ministry, said climate impacts are already affecting key sectors, infrastructure and biodiversity, with implications for national security.

She said these impacts are expected to worsen under future climate scenarios, underscoring the need for stronger adaptation measures alongside mitigation efforts.

“While efforts are ongoing to mitigate climate change, adaptation is equally important to ensure systems can adjust without disrupting livelihoods or jeopardising security,” she said.

Alec Crawford, Director, Nature for Resilience at the International Institute for Sustainable Development and Secretariat of the NAP Global Network, said the intersection of climate risks, conflict and displacement is becoming increasingly evident across many countries.

He said National Adaptation Plan processes, though often treated as technical exercises, are critical for setting long-term priorities, allocating resources and coordinating government responses.

“In conflict-affected contexts, adaptation competes with other urgent priorities for funding and political attention,” he said, noting that this makes integrated approaches more complex but necessary.

The forum brought together African government representatives, peacebuilding experts and development partners to explore ways of strengthening climate adaptation in fragile and conflict-affected settings, with a focus on embedding conflict-sensitive approaches into resilience planning.