This webinar will explore the intersection between the United States’ use of sanctions within foreign policy and the impact that they have on climate change. Beginning with background research of the intersection, this team explored sanctions that have been implemented in the past against specific countries, why those sanctions were applied, and the impact of those sanctions on not only the country itself, but the global fight against climate change. Afterwards, this team will include recommendations for ways to change how sanctions are applied to lessen the impact on innocent civilians and climate change, but also alternatives to sanctions. These conclusions include encouraging diplomacy, implementing accountability on sanctions enacted, and making it easier to provide humanitarian aid, amongst other recommendations that hope to decrease the use of sanctions in the current form that they are used and promote climate friendly alternatives.

The Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics Global Peace Policy Team is a group of undergraduates who have researched information and case studies about sanctions, while also exploring how those sanctions led to a worsening climate crisis that could have been preventable.

The speakers will include: Alexandra Oikonomou, Darlene Uzoigwe, Tate Underwood, Ife Adedokun, Sierra Valdez, Amiel Katz, Mahmoud Al-Thabata, Vikram Kolli, Caroline Gao, Katia Anastas, Cole Cochrane, Stephanie Chen, Brian Jeon, Rishi Hazra, Daniel Patel, Irati Egorho Diez, & Iris Cheng