Myanmar, Climate Actions, Conflict and Peacebuilding (MyCClimate)
Myanmar, Climate Actions, Conflict and Peacebuilding (MyCClimate) is a collaborative international research project examining how climate change intersects with conflict, governance, livelihoods, and peacebuilding in Myanmar and its borderland regions. Led by Helene Maria Kyed at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), the project brings together researchers and local partners to investigate how communities experience and respond to environmental change amid political instability, armed conflict, and shifting socio-economic conditions.
The project explores how climate change influences land use, natural resource governance, migration, and local livelihoods, while also examining whether climate interventions contribute to peacebuilding or deepen existing tensions. Through ethnographic and community-based research, MyCClimate seeks to generate locally grounded knowledge that can inform conflict-sensitive climate adaptation policies and development initiatives.
Project Information
Project Lead: Helene Maria Kyed
Duration: February 2023 – December 2026
Funder: Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC)
Partner Institutions: Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), Nyan Corridor, and The Highland Institute (THI)
Status: Active
Objectives
- Examine local experiences and perceptions of climate change in conflict-affected regions.
- Investigate the relationship between climate change, land use, environmental governance, and livelihoods.
- Generate evidence to support context-sensitive climate adaptation and development policies.
- Strengthen local research capacity through collaborative fieldwork and knowledge exchange.
- Facilitate dialogue among communities, researchers, and policymakers on climate resilience and peacebuilding.
Research Themes
- Climate Change Adaptation
- Environmental Governance
- Conflict and Peacebuilding
- Agrarian Change
- Resource Politics
- Borderland Studies
- Community Resilience
- Sustainable Development
Activities
- Ethnographic and qualitative field research.
- Community consultations and interviews.
- Collaborative workshops and training programmes.
- Academic publishing and policy engagement.
- Knowledge-sharing and public dissemination activities.
- Research exchanges and capacity-building initiatives.
Outcomes
The project has contributed to advancing understanding of climate change, development, and agrarian transformation through grounded empirical research. Findings have informed academic debate, policy discussions, and public engagement on climate governance and environmental change.
A major outcome has been the development of publications, workshops, and collaborative knowledge-sharing initiatives, including contributions to a special issue of the Highlander Journal. The project has strengthened local research capacity by supporting collaborative fieldwork, publication efforts, and engagement with communities, policymakers, and wider audiences.
Research Team
- Helene Maria Kyed — Project Lead
- Lue Htar — Senior Researcher (February 2023 – December 2026)
- Tarini Manchanda — Senior Researcher (February 2023 – December 2023)
- Joseph Venuh — Driver and Field Assistant (March 2023 – December 2025)
- Sholu Movi — Associate Researcher (March 2024 – May 2026)