Course Open for application 

31 May - 6 June 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Applications will be accepted until 31 March 2026. 

Online Application Form

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a major threat to peace and security in the 21st century, affecting human security in diverse and intersecting ways. In Africa, a region particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, climate-related pressures such as rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events are intensifying competition over natural resources, threatening livelihoods, increasing displacement, and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. While climate and environmental change can act as a threat multiplier and driver of conflict, challenging communities’ resilience and peaceful coexistence, addressing climate- and environment-related challenges can also create opportunities and entry points for peace. Inclusive and sustainable resource management, adaptation measures, environmental protection, and regional cooperation can play an important role in preventing and resolving conflicts.

Recognizing the urgent need for action, and in line with the United Nations’ New Agenda for Peace (2023), which calls for stronger efforts to ensure that climate action and peacebuilding reinforce one another, this specialization course aims to equip African stakeholders with the knowledge and practical tools to address challenges and harness opportunities at the intersection of climate, peace, and security.

Course metholodgy and learning objectives:

The specialisation course provides comprehensive training on the climate, peace, and security nexus in Africa. Through expert lectures, interactive discussions, group work on fictional and real-world conflict case studies, and peer exchange, participants will explore how climate and environmental change can act as a threat multiplier and driver of conflict, while also offering opportunities and entry points for peace. At the end of the training, participants will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to apply a climate and environmental lens to peacebuilding work.

Participants will:

• Gain an in-depth understanding of the complex interlinkages between environment, climate, peace, and security.
• Understand how environmental threats and climate change can act as a risk multiplier and driver of conflict and insecurity.
• Identify climate- and environment-related entry points for peacebuilding.
• Become familiar with key policies, legal, and human rights frameworks related to the climate, peace, and security nexus.
• Understand the roles of different actors and the importance of integrated, multi-stakeholder approaches.
• Develop awareness of environmental "do no harm" principles, including considerations related to individual conduct and the environmental footprint of organisations.
• Build practical skills to apply a climate and environmental lens to peacebuilding work, from conflict analysis to the design of effective interventions.

Course language: English

Training dates: 31 May – 6 June 2026

Training venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Participation Costs: Twenty scholarships funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs will be awarded for participation in the course. These scholarships cover the course fees and full-board accommodation during the training period. Airfare costs and visa costs are not covered by the scholarship.

Target group: The course is designed for African nationals working in the field of peace and security with the UN or relevant partner organisations. This includes personnel from:

• UN peacekeeping missions
• UN agencies, funds and programmes
• Regional partner organisations, including the African Union, Regional Economic Communities such as IGAD, ECOWAS, ECCAS, SADC, and EAC, as well as regional early warning and conflict prevention meachanism. 

Requirements:

• African nationality and professional engagement in peace and security in Africa.
• Employment with the UN or a relevant partner organisation.
• Professional experience in peacekeeping, peacebuilding, climate security or related fields. 
• Good command of English.

In cooperation with and funded by: