Thesis (MA (Political Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change is conclusive that climate change will
lead to scarcity of the basic resources that sustain life for people around the world – fresh water
supplies, food production and land for habitation and cultivation. It is argued that environmental
scarcity leads to migration which in turn results in conflict in the receiving area as competition
over resources develops.
Based on the main theories relating to resource scarcity and conflict, the purpose of this study is
to examine the link between climate change and human security. The relevance of this research
is the fact that the Stern Review concludes that climate change poses a serious threat to the world
and that Africa will be one of the hardest hit continents. Africa is already vulnerable to climate
variability and has the least capacity to respond, and this study aims to establish the impacts of
resource scarcity on human security in South Africa.
The theoretical approach addresses the much debated concept of ‘human security’ as it has
developed since the end of the Cold War and the analysis is based on the main conflict theories
that maintain that competition over access to scarce resources is one of the root causes of violent
conflict. The research design for this study is of an empirical nature with the units of analysis
being states, physical events and processes and the resulting human actions. It is a descriptive
analysis, interpreting the impact of climate change on scarce resources and the resulting
propensity for conflict.
Much of the violence against migrants has been the result of varying degrees of xenophobia
amongst all racial groups in South Africa. This study proposes the hypothesis that migration
results in increased competition over scarce resources in receiving areas, which as a result of
xenophobia leads to conflict. Based on the theoretical arguments put forward, the paper aims to
determine what policy options for adaptation, mitigation and governance would be most likely to
reduce the harmful impacts of climate change on vulnerable regions and groups of people in
South Africa and neighbouring countries in order to contain migration and lessen the likelihood
of violent conflict.
Having identified xenophobia as a spark that could ignite violent inter-group conflict it would be
useful to gain some theoretical insight into reducing group prejudice and attaining group
cooperation through inter-group contact.
It is apparent that there is no single theoretical approach that can be applied to gain a better
insight into the complex link between resource scarcity and conflict. The different theories are
mutually compatible and each theoretical perspective contributes a partial elaboration to and
additional insights into the climate change/conflict hypothesis. There is possibly room for a new
theoretical approach to gain a better understanding of the complexity and the uncertainties that
are inherent in the study of a mechanism as complex as climate change.
South Africa has the responsibility to use its global political influence to promote a shared
understanding of responsible behaviour across all societies. Active participation will enable
South Africa to guide global negotiations towards outcomes that will lessen the impact of climate
change on the most vulnerable countries and populations. In conclusion, possible policies and
actions are identified that could support these objectives. Without urgent, appropriate
intervention climate change will undermine any efforts to achieve the Millennium Development
Goals, and a crippled African continent will be a threat to world security.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2214 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Rabie, Elsa |
| Contributors | Du Toit, P. V. D. P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 415427 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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