The idea that climate change has caused, and will cause, war has been embraced by journalists and politicians, popular science writers and academics alike. However, this concept is not new. In this 10-Minute Talk David Livingstone, FBA, Professor of Geography and Intellectual History at Queen's looks back in history, tracing links between earlier writings about climate and violence and contemporary thinking.

10-Minute Talks are a new series of pre-recorded talks from Fellows of the British Academy screened each Wednesday, 13:00-13:10, on the British Academy's YouTube channel. Our speakers will type responses to a selection of audience questions in the YouTube comments section between 13:10 and 13:30 on the day of their talk.