For the first time this year, the RP SIPODI EA worked with adelphi global and Strathmore University to hold the CDA 2025. The training had previously been organised four times by the former KAS Regional Programme for Climate Policy and Energy Security together with the partner organisations. This programme brought together students and young professionals working in the fields of climate security and diplomacy, including environmental ambassadors, volunteers active in climate-related initiatives, and researchers working on the security impacts of climate change in East Africa. It aimed at strengthening participants’ ability to identify climate-related risks and also supported the development of effective strategies to address them. Participants were introduced to global climate scenarios, their security implications, relevant international processes, and available analytical tools. Interactive modules, group work, and a UNSC simulation game provided opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge into practice. Prior to the in-person training, two preparatory webinars introduced participants to the basics of climate and security, as well as to the debates on climate security in the UNSC. Participants further prepared by writing essays on climate security and position papers for the countries they would represent during the simulation game.
On 3 June 2025, the Climate Diplomacy Academy was officially opened by Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Strathmore University. In his opening remarks, he emphasised the importance of a holistic approach to education that combines technical expertise with a sense of responsibility and ethical engagement. Young experts must be empowered to engage with different aspects of global challenges in order to incorporate them into their professional practice. This was followed by welcoming remarks from Nils Wörmer, Director of the RP SIPODI EA. He acknowledged that while the impacts of climate change are widely recognised, the international community has yet to establish effective mechanisms to address their security implications. Katarina Schulz, expert at adelphi global, welcomed the participants on behalf of the organisation. Subsequently, Dr Rose Mwebaza, Director and Regional Representative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Africa Office, provided an overview of key international actors, policy frameworks and critical debates relevant to climate security in the African context. Edgar Mwine, Project Manager at RP SIPODI EA, gave a lecture on the topic “Climate Finance in Africa – the contradictions between global expectations and local realities.” In his remarks, he highlighted the structural barriers African countries face in accessing international climate finance, despite being among the most affected by the impacts of climate change. The day concluded with a climate fragility pathway mapping exercise, in which participants explored the connections between climate events and security risks through selected case studies.
The second day started with a quiz to test the participants' knowledge on the topic of climate and security. This was followed by a session led by Raquel Munayer, expert at adelphi global, who presented key instruments and policy approaches used to address climate-related security risks. External input was provided by Tendai E. Kasinganeti, an advisor with the United Nations Climate Security Mechanism, who explained how climate change is discussed in international and regional forums. In his presentation, he discussed how different groups perceive and address the connection between climate, peace and security. He also highlighted the contributions of the Accra Process, a West African security cooperation initiative aimed at countering cross border threats from the Sahel, as well as the role of non-permanent members of the UNCS in advancing an African climate security agenda. In the afternoon, participants engaged in a simulation of a UNSC session focused on climate security. The exercise provided valuable insights into diplomatic procedures and negotiation dynamics in the field of climate diplomacy.
On the final day of the Climate Diplomacy Academy 2025, participants began by jointly evaluating the previous day’s simulation game of a discussion in the UNSC. This was followed by a presentation on water diplomacy. Afterwards, the case of Lake Chad was introduced as a real world example of climate-related security risks and provided the foundation for a group exercise on how to integrate climate fragility risks into policy planning. Erick Omollo, Programme Officer at the Science for Africa Foundation, then spoke about climate security risks in the context of the conflict in Sudan. The training concluded with closing remarks and the awarding of certificates to all participants.
About this series
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, its educational institutions, centres and foreign offices, offer several thousand events on various subjects each year. We provide up to date and exclusive reports on selected conferences, events and symposia at www.kas.de. In addition to a summary of the contents, you can also find additional material such as pictures, speeches, videos or audio clips.