The security dimensions of climate change and resource degradation affect military organisations’ operations. This policy brief outlines the nexus between climate change and natural resources on the one hand, and security on the other.

What are the implications of climate change on the policies of governmental institutions and non-governmental organisations? And how can they play a role in mitigating climate-related conflict risk?

Research on the causal link between climate and conflict is contested – or so it was. Experts, led by Stanford’s Katharine Mach, have concluded that changes in the climate have affected armed conflict.

The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development will convene Tuesday, 9 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019, including the ministerial meeting of the forum on the last three days. Held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, the HLPF reviews in-depth the progress of six Sustainable Development Goals, among them Inequalities (SDG10), Climate Action (SDG13) and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG16).

Eight of the ten countries hosting the most multilateral peace operations personnel in 2018 are located in areas highly exposed to climate change. As such, climate change is not just an issue of human security—it is transforming the entire security landscape. Nonetheless, international efforts to build and maintain peace are not yet taking these emerging challenges systematically into account.

On 19 June, 2019, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRCS) co-hosted a policy roundtable on climate change, conflict and resilience in Amman Jordan, with organizational support by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (RCClimate) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI).