2024 Climate and Conflict Convening
Partner
Foundation House
Location
Greenwich, CT
Date
Sept 2024
SDG’s Addressed:
The Peace Department’s Annual Climate & Conflict Convening, in partnership with Foundation House, focuses on addressing the interrelated challenges of climate change and conflict through sustainable development solutions.
The Third Annual Climate & Conflict Convening marked our most robust program yet, uniting leaders across sectors to tackle the intersection of climate change and conflict with actionable solutions. With dynamic discussions on investing in refugee women, economic resilience to mitigate migration, regenerative agriculture, and biomimetic urban planning, the convening set the stage for transformative partnerships and innovative approaches.
The first panel explored the impact of climate change on women and girls, featuring Sophia Swire, Dr. Marine Afzal, and Kelly Leeson. Swire, a gender-lens investor, shared her work empowering Afghan women through vocational training and entrepreneurship initiatives like Future Brilliance. Dr. Afzal drew on her experience at UNHCR and Columbia University to discuss the complex interplay between climate change and migration. Leeson, representing the Women’s Refugee Commission, highlighted the importance of designing scalable programs to support displaced populations in achieving economic independence and stability.
Subsequent discussions delved into regenerative agriculture and circular economies. Neil Spackman, founder of Regenerative Resources, showcased his transformative agroforestry projects, which restore degraded landscapes while fostering local economies. Chris Wayne of Acumen highlighted innovative investment strategies in post-conflict Colombia, emphasizing community-centered approaches to create sustainable markets for rural farmers.
The day also explored blended finance models to drive economic resilience, with Eduardo Carrera presenting the pioneering work of Platform for Social Impact in Puerto Rico and Cuba-US relations concerning food trade and security with Mark Grobmyer from Global Solutions Institute. Dror Benshetrit showcased his innovative work with Super Nature Labs and the Bio Planning Institute, emphasizing the urgent need to address urban expansion through life-centric, nature-inspired designs that counteract loneliness, inefficiency, and environmental degradation while calling for collaboration to achieve a sustainable urban future within the next critical five years.
The Third Annual Climate & Conflict Convening concluded with a powerful call to action, inspiring attendees to forge bold partnerships and leverage innovative solutions at the intersection of climate resilience and peacebuilding, reaffirming the collective commitment to shaping a sustainable, equitable future for all.
