Who we are
What is Weathering Risk?
In a world facing complex risks compounded by climate change, Weathering Risk is a multilateral initiative that offers tailored analysis and tools to understand climate and environmental security risks to human security and build sustainable peace.
Weathering Risk is led by an interdisciplinary project team at adelphi. It is supported by a broad range of international partner organisations and donor governments, ensuring that our unique effort brings the climate security community together. Partnerships with world-leading research and policy organisations ensure that the best possible inputs inform the initiative’s work. Weathering Risk is guided by a Strategic Advisory Board of prominent global experts from across the international climate, development and security communities.
Background:
Weathering Risk harks back to the German G7 Presidency of 2015. The key recommendation of the 2015 G7 mandated report ‘A New Climate for Peace’ called for ‘more and better climate security risk analysis’. In response, and building on the Berlin Call for Action launched at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference in June 2019, Weathering Risk addresses the gaps in our understanding of climate change impacts on peace and security. During the first phase of the Weathering Risk, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) co-lead the initiative to develop the methodology and provide forward-looking climate impact data in different regions and countries.
Read more about how we work here
It is absolutely critical that the conversation is not Western dominated. …Weathering Risk includes the work of researchers from all around the world, including from non-northern countries and we need to ensure that those voices are heard
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP
Meet Our Team
Weathering Risk is led by an interdisciplinary team from adelphi.
Janani Vivekananda
Weathering Risk project co-lead and head of the Climate Diplomacy and Security programme at adelphi. Full biography & contact information.

Alina Viehoff
As the co-lead of Weathering Risk, Alina plans and oversees the implementation of the initiative. In addition, she manages and coordinates the activities of the Peace Pillar consortium, focusing on monitoring, evaluation and learning to capture and share the insights and impacts of integrating climate security into peace programming.

Benjamin Pohl
Co-head of the Climate Diplomacy and Security programme at adelphi. Works on the interface of environmental change, foreign policy, peacebuilding and global sustainable development.
Lukas Rüttinger
With over 13 years of experience at the interface between environmental, development, foreign and security policy, Lukas is the assessment methodology lead of Weathering Risk and M&E lead of the Peace Pillar. His recent projects include a national climate security risk assessment for Papua New Guinea and the Africa Climate Security Risk Assessment.

Alexandra Steinkraus
Analyst at adelphi, focusing on how to better communicate the impacts of climate change on international peace and security through diplomacy and development approaches that drive action and understanding.

Katarina Schulz
Consultant in the field of diplomacy and security, focusing on the interface between climate foreign policy, global sustainable development and peacekeeping.

Emma Whitaker
Senior Advisor at adelphi with extensive experience as a peace building practitioner, focusing on the nexus of climate change, conflict, fragility, vulnerable populations and the environment.

Hector Camilo Morales Munoz
Hector leads research and capacity-building initiatives to enhance the evidence base on the impact of climate action on peacebuilding. Recently, he led a practical study on the nexus of biodiversity, climate security and peace in Latin America and a lessons-learnt report on UNEP's Sudan climate security project, which uses the Weathering Risk approach. He also co-authored the African Climate Security Assessment.

Sinéad Barry
Analyst at adelphi in climate diplomacy and security, contributing to projects on the way climate change shapes systems essential for peace and security across the planet.

Jakob Gomolka
Climate diplomacy and security analyst at adelphi with a special interest in analysing how climate change affects geopolitics and the international order.

Clement Iraola
Advisor in the field of Climate Diplomacy and Security at adelphi, with experience in conflict resolution, peacebuilding, migration, as well as climate change and with a background in research, policy advising, humanitarian work and advocacy.

Adrien Detges
Senior Advisor at adelphi. Focuses on climate change impacts and their relevance to foreign, security and development policy.

Inger Andersen
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

Aditya V. Bahadur
Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre. Previously he was Principal Researcher with the International Institute for Environment and Development UK, he has contributed to Working Group II of the IPCC’s sixth assessment cycle and has expertise in climate-resilient urban development.

Benedetta Berti
Head of Policy Planning in the Office of the Secretary General at NATO and Associate Researcher at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (Vrije Universiteit Brussel). Focuses on armed groups, internal wars, and protection of civilians.

Comfort Ero
President and CEO of the International Crisis Group. Previously, she was Africa Program Director and Interim Vice President. Her areas of expertise include Conflict prevention, mediation, peacekeeping and transitional justice.

Shenggen Fan
CGIAR System Board Member and Chair Professor at the College of Economics and Management at China Agricultural University in Beijing. From 2009-2019 he served as the Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Wolfgang Ischinger
President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Council. From 2008 to 2022, he was Chairman of the Munich Security Conference. He has held a wide range of diplomatic positions, including State Secretary (Dept. Foreign Minister) and German Ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom.

Laurie Laybourn
Resilience advisory group member for the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) and trustee at the New Economics Foundation. He is a Visiting Fellow at Chatham House and was previously the Director of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change and has expertise in the global economy and economic transformation.

Ottilia Anna Maunganidze
Head of Special Projects in the Office of the Executive Director at the Institute for Security Studies (South Africa). Her expertise lies in international criminal justice, international human rights law and migration trends and policy.

Tom Middendorp
Principal Expert at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) and Chair of the International Military Council on Climate and Security. Until 2017 he was the Chief of Defense of the Netherlands.

Federica Mogherini
Rector of the College of Europe. She served as High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019.

Coral Pasisi
Director of the Sustainable Pacific Consultancy and President of Tofia Niue, a Non-profit Organisation focused on Ocean Sustainable Management. From 2015 to 2019 she was the Regional Advisor on the Pacific to the Green Climate Fund.

Achim Steiner
Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. From 2006-2016 he was the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.

Almut Wieland-Karimi
United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group member, Board Member of the Mercator Foundation and former Executive Director at the Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF). Expertise includes international relations, conflict management and peace operations.

Helga Maria Schmid (2021-2024)
Former Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Prior to her appointment she was Secretary General for the European External Action Service and has held several other prominent diplomatic positions during her career.
Share on