In the wake of chemical attacks by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the resulting missile attacks by the United States, articles and videos attempting to explain the complex Syrian Civil War have surfaced on social media.  Most of these sources identify the beginning of the crisis in Syria as the popular protests in Deraa. They then work their way through the emergence of ISIS, the overt military intervention of Russia, and conclude with the most recent chemical attacks.  In the process, many reduce the war to a religious conflict or to its three main players (ISIS, Assad, and the rebels).  Though these articles can be helpful in gleaning a basic understanding of the war and its origins, the vast majority fail to include a significant factor in the initial uprisings: climate change. The year 2006 marked the beginning of a severe drought in Syria (a result of climate change) which led to increased levels of poverty and internal displacement.  As people from the country moved into increasingly crowded cities, water shortages became common.  More than two million Syrians plunged into extreme poverty as a result of the drought and many were quick to criticize a regime which did little to alleviate the situation.  When the Arab Spring swept over the region in 2011, the country was already primed for protest.  In addition to the political, social, and religious aspects of the conflict, we must also acknowledge the environmental problems which are embedded in the ongoing humanitarian crisis and its cause. While establishing political stability is crucial to the short-term easing of violence, long-term solutions must address the problems stemming from a lack of natural resources such as water and arable land.