Young Leaders Summer Academy: Climate Change and Security

Eng. Salsabeal Abo-Thrais represented the WANA Institute – Royal Scientific Society at the Young Leaders Summer Academy 2026 on Climate Change and Security (5-8 July 2026), organised by the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) and the Helmut-Schmidt-Universität/Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg, in cooperation with the Institute for International Cooperation, Technological Diplomacy and Communication (ICI).

The Academy brought together future decision-makers from the Middle East and Europe to engage in high-level discussions led by international experts on the most pressing climate-security challenges of our time. Sessions spanned climate-induced Forced Migration, Food Security, Energy Security, and the links between climate change and Violent Conflict - exploring how environmental stress fuels instability, displacement, and competition over scarce resources across the region.

Beyond the sessions, the Academy offered a unique space for professional exchange, networking, and open dialogue, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Germany, and beyond, in pursuit of collaborative, sustainable regional solutions.