Climate change, population pressure and conflict in Africa

This research paper by Dr Jakkie Cilliers of the Institute for Security Studies argues that Africa's high dependency on natural resources creates severe adaptive challenges when facing the combined pressures of climate change and population growth.

• Africa faces potentially severe adaptive problems in the future due to the combined effects of population growth and climate change, a vulnerability driven by the continent's close dependency on natural resources.
• The African continent is characterized by agricultural systems that have failed during persistent and frequent droughts, alongside widespread poverty, armed conflict, and historically slow economic development.
• There is an urgent need for Africa and its partners to collaborate on managing cities, increasing food production for millions, and reversing deforestation to protect the continent's 'green lungs'.

APA

Cilliers, J. (n.d.). Climate change, population pressure and conflict in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/climate-change-population-pressure-and-conflict-in-africa

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie. Climate change, population pressure and conflict in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/climate-change-population-pressure-and-conflict-in-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |title=Climate change, population pressure and conflict in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/climate-change-population-pressure-and-conflict-in-africa |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliersndclimate, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Climate change, population pressure and conflict in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/climate-change-population-pressure-and-conflict-in-africa}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }