Pathways to Conflict: The Impact of Climate Change on Violence

“As extreme weather events become more frequent, the risk of conflict is likely to rise, driven by their effects on economic stability, agriculture, and migration.” (Vally Koubi, 2025)

In her forthcoming HFG Research and Policy in Brief, professor of economics and senior scientist, Vally Koubi examines the direct and indirect pathways through which climate change can lead to conflict. From resource scarcity, economic hardship and increased migration, this year’s first Knowledge Against Violence speaker series event will answer questions about the conditions under which climate change and insecurity exacerbate violent conflict.

Join the virtual conversation on Thursday, March 27 at 1 p.m. ET.

Register

Vally Koubi is a Professor and Senior Scientist at the Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), and a Professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Bern, Switzerland. Her research focuses on the social consequences of climatic changes and the determinants of domestic environmental policies and outcomes as well as international environmental cooperation across countries and time. Her research on the social consequences of climatic changes aims at understanding the effects of climatic changes on migration and conflict mainly in the developing world. Koubi received her BA degree from the University of Athens, Greece, and her MS, MA and PhD degrees from the University of Rochester.