Background
Industrialised countries are largely responsible for human-induced climate change in the modern era. By contrast, those worst affected by its adverse impacts are poor people in developing countries, who are also in a far worse position to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This huge problem of global justice is a major source of potential conflict. As such, it will be a critical focus of international negotiations on climate change. A global policy on climate change needs to confront this issue with a combination of two strategies: it must keep climate change within tolerable limits and, at the same time, develop strategies for coping with the impacts of climate change that is now unavoidable. In both cases, a fair sharing of burdens is a central precondition.

The project
The project "Climate change and justice. Climate policy as a component of fair globalisation and sustainable poverty reduction" sets out to analyse the interactions between preventing hazardous climate change and reducing global poverty. The objective is to develop suitable strategies and options for global climate and energy policy which will support rather than undermine national and international efforts towards poverty reduction.

Due to the complexity of the issues, this project is not simply concerned with compiling a study or a book. Its priority is to come up, as much as possible, with specific and concrete recommendations and options for action. This presupposes dialogue with representatives from other countries and cultures. From the outset, it also hopes to gain the widest possible public attention by engaging in a broad-based dialogue between research, business, church-based actors, civil society and policymakers.

Studies and dialogue fora
The project aims to elaborate these aspects by means of detailed regional and country studies on the impacts of climate change and the possibilities and limitations of adaptation to them. The impacts of changing climatic conditions will be presented according to socio-cultural context and political situation. In the course of this, reference can also be made, for example, to the way in which nation states have failed to respond adequately, which is one reason for the high degree of vulnerability to climate change impacts. Mitigation options will also be taken into consideration, especially in newly-industrialising countries (what contribution can they make?). In states with a high level of deforestation the question will be raised as to how this can be reduced. The development policy potential of climate protection (e.g. renewable energies) can also be addressed.

The following problem areas (hotspots) constitute the focus of the studies

• food security
• energy supply and
• water availability.

In addition to a general depiction of the consequences of climate change for the region under consideration and of their impacts and of the socio-economic causes of vulnerability to climate change, a number of specific aspects are to be examined in greater detail. The funding for this has not yet been secured.
Results will be discussed with those affected in locally held dialogue fora. The aim of these fora is to prevent the project’s analyses and policy recommendations (regional as well as global) being considered from a purely Eurocentric point of view. This enables our results to be legitimated or, where appropriate, corrected.

The dialogue fora will be organised by MISEREOR in close cooperation with MISEREOR partners. They are to take place both in the case study countries and in other countries severely affected by climate change.
Another component of dialogue fora is the exchange of information about climatic changes that are already making themselves felt and about any alterations in behaviour that may already have been made as a result. An additional aim is to discuss possible future adaptation strategies and to investigate what the barriers are to implementing them and at what points support will be needed.