Key Issues Regarding How Climate Change and Violent Extremism Impact the Lake Chad Basin
In the majority of developing nations, climate change is posing a growing threat to political stability and personal security. Environmental change and human dislocation have a significant impact that cannot be understated, even if there is no direct causal relationship between climate change and conflict. Climate change is better understood in the context of global security as a "threat multiplier" that interacts with and amplifies already-existing risks and vulnerabilities to fuel war.
The Lake Chad Basin region is a prominent example, where riparian communities in four nations—Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria—have experienced an unparalleled security crisis brought on by recurrent terrorist and violent extremist attacks, as well as ethnic, religious, and farmer-herder disputes. Due to this, there have been internal population shifts, refugee flows, and a rise in the use of small arms and light weapons (SALW). Climate change and the resulting decline in lake resources, which has long been a source of economic livelihood for the millions of people who reside in the catchment areas, have made this security dilemma worse.
Depleted ecosystems, water scarcities, crop failures, livestock mortality, collapsing fisheries, soil infertility, food insecurity, and, as a result, increased poverty are some effects of this. One of the largest lakes in Africa, Lake Chad provides a living for about 30 million people in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. The lake has been a lifeline for fishing, crop farming, and animal production—the cornerstones of the area's economy—for centuries. It also supports agricultural output. For those residing in the watershed areas, Lake Chad has also been an important supply of water. In terms of generating money and sustaining household consumption, local economies have benefited from the production of crops, cattle, and fish.
The size of the lake and its resources, however, have dramatically decreased over the past 60 years due to climate fluctuation. Lake Chad covered more than 26,000 km2 in the 1960s. But by 1997, it had declined to fewer than 1,500 km2, and by 2014, it had further decreased to 1,350 km2. The region's 210 millimeter yearly rainfall average has decreased from 320 millimeters. The lake receives 90% of its water from the Chari River, which rises on the Central African plateau, and 5% from the Komadugu-Yobe River, however both of these major rivers have drastically decreased in size.
The size of the lake and its resources, however, have dramatically decreased over the past 60 years due to climate fluctuation. Lake Chad covered more than 26,000 km2 in the 1960s. But by 1997, it had declined to fewer than 1,500 km2, and by 2014, it had further decreased to 1,350 km2. The region's 210 millimeter yearly rainfall average has decreased from 320 millimeters. The lake receives 90% of its water from the Chari River, which rises on the Central African plateau, and 5% from the Komadugu-Yobe River, however both of these major rivers have drastically decreased in size.
The Lake Chad Basin's lack of economic diversification and its outdated farming methods make the area more susceptible to climate change. Inadequate public spending on healthcare, education, and youth-focused sustainable alternative work possibilities further exacerbates this. In turn, this has led to higher rates of adolescent pregnancies, higher rates of youth unemployment, as well as increased growth in the low-productivity informal sector and a drop in the share of wage earners in the region. Increases in migration, crime, and related tensions have all been attributed to these issues.
Rapid resource depletion in the Lake Chad Basin is also correlated with an increase in organized crime in the area. This takes the form of drug and human trafficking, kidnapping of women, girls, and children, and the smuggling of illicit products, all of which support the operations of armed groups in the area and contribute to violent confrontations. Additionally, the region's youth are experiencing greater economic hardship due to water scarcity, environmental damage, and soil sterility, which has led to many of them turning to organized crime and violence. Notably, Boko Haram and ISWAP have taken advantage of this to enlist young people in the drug and SALW trafficking that supports their violent operations.
The countries in the Lake Chad Basin have porous borders that allow SALW and other illegal products to enter, sustaining inter ethnic and farmer-herder disputes that extremist organizations use to strengthen their control over this vulnerable area. A region that previously faced sustainability concerns due to restricted access to natural resources, such as agricultural land for growing and animal grazing, fish stock, and vegetation, has been adversely affected by rising Boko Haram and ISWAP warfare.
The multiple and interconnected underlying causes of the complicated security issue in the Lake Chad Basin are several. The lake Chad's shrinkage due to climate change is the main factor. Millions of people whose economic well-being depends on the ecosystem of the lake have been decimated by the depletion of its resources. This has exacerbated the humanitarian catastrophe in the Lake Chad Basin and contributed to the spread of terrorism and violent extremism. The Lake Chad Basin needs to be stabilized properly, and while there are many response plans for reducing security concerns in the region, stakeholders must make sure that counter terrorism and climate change adaptation strategies are strongly aligned. Furthermore, it is crucial for international partners to improve their communication and coordination, and to coordinate their initiatives with local, national, and regional plans designed to reduce the escalating humanitarian crisis, improve governance, and promote social cohesion in localities throughout the region.
