Strauss Center Distinguished Scholar Joshua Busby has been named the recipient of the 2026 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving the World Order for scholarship presented in his 2022 book, “States and Nature: The Effects of Climate Change on Security.”
His work was based, in part, on his studies within Strauss Center programs on Complex Emergencies and Political Instability in Asia (CEPSA) and Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS), which was funded by the Department of Defense’s Minerva Initiative.
“Countries with weak government capacity, where political institutions exclude some people from power and where foreign assistance is blocked or delivered to some groups and not others are likely to have the worst outcomes, including humanitarian emergencies and violent conflict,” Busby explains. “Even as we transition away from fossil fuels, we have to prepare for climate impacts, some of which are inevitable at this point.”
In the spirit of the Grawemeyer Award, established through the University of Louisville, Busby also highlights the optimistic side of his work. “The hopeful story of my book is that the worst consequences of climate change are not inevitable,” Busby says. “Governments, even very poor ones, can take steps to protect their populations from climate harms and prevent large-scale loss of life from exposure to climate-related extreme weather, including cyclones and droughts. With a little bit of outside help, governments have been able to reduce their vulnerability to climate disasters and concerted action can prevent climate shocks from escalating to violence.”
Learn more about the award here.
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