In this episode, Sofiia talks to Maureen Walschot, a climate security expert and consultant. Through her dedicated work, Maureen delves into unravelling the intricate connections between climate change, peace, and security. Her focus spans across various domains such as water diplomacy and cooperation, as well as the intersection of gender, climate, and security. Despite the persistent presence of environmental and feminist studies throughout Maureen's life, they existed in parallel. It wasn't until her university studies and subsequent PhD journey that she started exploring the convergence of gender, environment — specifically transboundary water management — and security. Maureen shares her rich experience, recounting her involvement in empowering local stakeholders in conflict resolution during armed conflicts in Central America. Additionally, she discusses her efforts in safeguarding marginalised communities residing in areas controlled by armed groups and de facto authorities (AGDA) in Afghanistan — regions marked by environmental vulnerability and conflict.

Maureen is also officially part of the VONA team, so towards the end of the episode we also shared some news, updates and VONA plans for 2024. 

If you want to connect to Maureen, check out her LinkedIn account. 

Relevant links and recommendations:

Saline water, peace, and security. Analyzing the impact of desalination on transboundary groundwater interactions in the Middle East, by Maureen Walschot published in L. P. Batista da Silva et al., New Perspectives on Transboundary Water Governance Interdisciplinary Approaches and Global Case Studies, Routledge, 2023. 

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Podcast hosted by Sofiia Shevchuk

Visuals and podcast production by Tamas Viski

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