Between 9 – 18 July the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development will convene under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), to review in-depth the progress of six Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Three of them, namely Climate Action (SDG13) and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG16) and Partnership for the Goals (SDG17) were assessed in relation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the OSCE Security Day on 4 June in the United Nations Vienna Headquarters. As the SIPRI Making it #Doable report argued in advance of the Planetary Security Conference 2019, the HLPF presents “a unique opportunity to understand the interconnected nature of these three SDGs and set long-term goals integrating climate-related security risks.” The efforts of the OSCE can be seen as a further step into this direction, by approaching the multiple dimensions of security and recognize the importance of the environment among them.
Around 180 diplomats, experts and civil society representatives followed the invitation of OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger to discuss the OSCE’s contribution to the implementation of the SDGs and concluded that the co-operation within the OSCE could be a positive example of effective multilateralism. Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and OSCE Chairperson in Office Miroslav Lajčák highlighted the organizations comprehensive approach to peace and security that also includes “areas like good governance, trade, human rights and the environment” in his opening speech.
OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger makes concluding remarks at the Security Day event “The OSCE and the Sustainable Development Goals”, Vienna, 4 June 2019.
During the closing of the event, Greminger suggested that climate security could gain a more central role when he remarked that “We cannot have business as usual, particularly in relation to climate change and security. I think this is an issue that deserves more attention in the OSCE”
Photocredit: OSCE