Frontline Voices explores human security through thoughtful conversations with practitioners, researchers and specialists working across defence, humanitarian assistance, academia and international development.

Hosted by Rosie Stone, each episode looks at the pressures shaping people, communities and security, and asks what can be understood, challenged or changed before crisis turns into conflict

What if the real beginning of a conflict happens long before the fighting starts?

In this episode of Frontline Voices, Rosie Stone speaks with Brigadier Thammy Evans about the connections between climate change, water, food, livelihoods, migration and human security.

Thammy argues that many of the pressures that eventually lead to instability and conflict begin much earlier — with environmental change, loss of resources, failing livelihoods and communities under increasing strain.

Their conversation explores why defence and security organisations need to look further “upstream” and consider how some crises might be prevented before military intervention becomes necessary.

They also discuss the difference between securitising climate and climatising security — and why environmental change should not simply be treated as another threat to control.

Water becomes a central theme. From freshwater shortages to the hidden “virtual water” contained in food and global trade, Thammy explains how decisions made in wealthier countries can place pressure on communities elsewhere.

The episode also looks at:

• climate change and resource competition
• water, food and energy security
• migration and displacement
• the role of defence in disaster prevention and resilience
• critical minerals and the global energy transition
• nature-based solutions
• the importance of gender and inclusion in security decision-making
• why protecting livelihoods can also help prevent conflict

Rosie and Thammy also consider a difficult but important question: who gets to make the decisions?

Human security is not only about states, borders or military power. It is about people — and whether those most affected by insecurity are included in shaping the response.

About Brigadier Thammy Evans

Brigadier Thammy Evans is a British Army reservist whose work has included defence reform, security sector governance, conflict prevention and ecological security.

She has worked with organisations including the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, served as a non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center, and is a senior research associate with the Climate Change and Insecurity Project.

In this episode

Host: Rosie Stone

Guest: Brigadier Thammy Evans

Podcast: Frontline Voices

This conversation was recorded before publication, and some of the geopolitical and policy context was updated for release in July 2026.

If you found this conversation useful, follow Frontline Voices wherever you listen to podcasts and share the episode with someone who may find it interesting.

If you found this episode useful, follow Frontline Voices wherever you listen to podcasts and share it with someone who may find the conversation valuable.

You can find more episodes, information about the podcast and ways to contact Rosie at frontlinevoices.net.