Iraq: Shrinking Rivers, Rising Tensions and Survival

Iraq: Shrinking Rivers, Rising Tensions and Survival

Iraq is facing a deepening water crisis, driven by years of conflict, drought, rising temperatures, and pollution. For many communities, water shortages are reshaping daily life, especially for young people. In this episode, we explore how these pressures intersect with conflict, and whether water management can offer a starting point for cooperation and a more stable future for Iraqis. Nazanine Moshiri speaks to Andrea Dekrout, Senior Mediation Adviser, DPPA Standby Team and Peshtiwan Al-Dawoudi, Country Director for Iraq, Berghof Foundation References: * Schwartzstein, P. (2024). The heat and the fury: On the frontlines of climate violence. Island Press. [https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9781642834628/the-heat-and-the-fury?srsltid=AfmBOooLrQqAfJHKvFH-GrQUcWEBNmOfrMKc33MRyueBNOga-YjmI0wH] * Schwartzstein, P. (2023). Climate, Water, and Militias: A Field Study from Southern Iraq. Center for Climate and Security. [https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/39-WaterMilitiasSouthernIraq.pdf] Climate, Crisis and Courage is hosted by Nazanine Moshiri. Produced by the Climate Security Mechanism [https://www.un.org/climatesecuritymechanism/en] and the United Nations System Staff College [https://www.unssc.org/], in collaboration with the Berghof Foundation [https://berghof-foundation.org/]. In this episode, we have used audio clips from UN Web TV and World Is One News.

Haiti: Resilience Amid Gang Violence and Climate Shocks

This episode explores Climate, Peace and Security in Haiti. The Caribbean country is living through overlapping crises, where violence and instability are being intensified by climate shocks and environmental degradation. We look at how these pressures play out in day-to-day life, and how this affects Port-au-Prince differently from other areas. We also hear how Haitians are responding with practical solutions that protect livelihoods, reduce tensions, and strengthen resilience. Nazanine Moshiri speaks to Paul Judex Eduarzin, Governance Specialist, UNEP Haiti and Robert Muggah, Founder Igarapé Institute. Climate, Crisis and Courage is hosted by Nazanine Moshiri. Produced by the Climate Security Mechanism [https://www.un.org/climatesecuritymechanism/en] and the United Nations System Staff College [https://www.unssc.org/], in collaboration with the Berghof Foundation [https://berghof-foundation.org/]. In this episode, we have used audio clips from NBC News, France 24 English, Sky News and BBC News.

From Islands to Highlands: Climate, Identity and Security in the Pacific

The episode explores what climate, peace and security means in one of the world’s most climate-exposed regions where climate change is not a distant threat, but a lived reality shaping land, livelihoods and identity. It unpacks how rising seas, extreme weather, and environmental pressures intersect with governance, culture, and geopolitical dynamics in the Pacific, from regional frameworks to community-level experiences in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville. Through voices from the region, the episode highlights how climate risks translate into security challenges, while also showcasing Pacific-led responses, from local resilience practices to regional leadership shaping global agendas. Nazanine Moshiri speaks to Jamie Tarawa, UNDP Climate Security Advisor to the Pacific Island Forum, via the CSM and Dr. Jeffrey Noro, Executive Director of the Kainake Project. References: * Catching the last wave - The Climate Security Podcast [https://www.undp.org/pacific/catching-last-wave-climate-security-podcast]; * The Pacific Islands Forum [https://forumsec.org/pacific-islands-forum]; * Melanesia Bio-Cultural Network [https://www.mbc-network.org/]. Climate, Crisis and Courage is hosted by Nazanine Moshiri. Produced by the Climate Security Mechanism [https://www.un.org/climatesecuritymechanism/en] and the United Nations System Staff College [https://www.unssc.org/], in collaboration with the Berghof Foundation [https://berghof-foundation.org/]. In this episode, we have used audio clips from Oxfam Aotearoa and New Scientist.

South Sudan: Floods, Conflict, and Finding Higher Ground

The pilot episode introduces the concept of climate, peace and security and the UN’s work on it. It serves as a primer on what climate, peace and security means at the UN, and why it matters. It then discusses this through one of the most tangible examples: South Sudan’s devastating floods in areas where resource competition and armed group presence already strain social cohesion. It weaves together the story of communities responding to climate-driven insecurities, the challenges on local peacebuilding amid humanitarian crises, and the UN’s evolving role in integrating climate risk into peacekeeping and peacebuilding. To help us understand why and what it means for communities on the ground, Nazanine Moshiri speaks to Johnson Nkem from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and Repent Taban from the Nile Sustainable Development Organization. References: Daniel Akech Thiong, 2025: "Climate Shocks and Pastoralist Migration in South Sudan".References: * UNMISS Mandate [https://unmiss.unmissions.org/en/unmiss-mandate]; * Thiong (2025), Climate Shocks and Pastoralist Migration in South Sudan: An Ecological Approach for Political Cooperation. [https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?docid=b-9781350439979] Climate, Crisis and Courage is hosted by Nazanine Moshiri. Produced by the Climate Security Mechanism [https://www.un.org/climatesecuritymechanism/en] and the United Nations System Staff College [https://www.unssc.org/], in collaboration with the Berghof Foundation [https://berghof-foundation.org/]. In this episode, we have used audio clips from UN Web TV and ABC News.

Climate, Crisis and Courage — Official Trailer | A UN Podcast

Climate, Crisis and Courage is the podcast that connects the dots between climate change, peace, and security — the stories most podcasts never tell. While others talk about emissions or war in isolation, this show goes deeper: to the frontlines where a shifting climate is already reshaping people's lives, communities, and conflicts right now. Hosted by Nazanine Moshiri — journalist, conflict zone reporter, and climate and peace specialist at the Berghof Foundation — each episode brings you the human stories behind today's biggest global challenges. The first episode is coming soon. Subscribe now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you don't miss it, and join the conversation where climate and courage meet. Climate, Crisis and Courage is hosted by Nazanine Moshiri. Produced by the Climate Security Mechanism [https://www.un.org/climatesecuritymechanism/en] and the United Nations System Staff College [https://www.unssc.org/], in collaboration with the Berghof Foundation [https://berghof-foundation.org/].