Once more climate security has been prominently featured at the 73rd Session United Nations General Assembly. Leaders from all around the world came together in New York with the difficult aim of strengthening a much needed multilateralism with a special mention of climate action and the 2030 Agenda. Many topics were under the spotlight during the busiest diplomatic moment of the year including climate change, international migration, protracted conflicts, and extreme poverty and hunger.
Among those critical issues three crucial moments came under the spotlight for climate security:
- SIDS push for greater action against climate change effects: The defining issue of our time
Leaders from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that are existentially threatened by global warming took the podium at the GA to raise awareness against the devastating security impacts of climate change on their homeland and their marine livelihood. More than ten heads of state called for a consequent answer to the catastrophic impacts of climate change caused by centuries of industrial pollution from industrialised countries’ actions.
Indeed, the Pacific and Caribbean regions are suffering most heavily from the destructive impacts of natural disasters, sea level rise and climate change: “Sea level rise and ocean acidification are taking their toll on the health and the wellbeing of our peoples, environment and economies. Disaster-related economic losses in Pacific island countries as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) are higher than almost anywhere else in the world,” said the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi from the Pacific island nation of Samoa.
For the SIDS, the response to climate change impacts needs to come from the United Nations Security Council - which is related to a broader debate , the institution needs to go beyond traditional threats to ensure protection for all everywhere. Climate security is a new threat that needs to be acknowledged and acted upon as soon as possible.
The SIDS stated once more their call for a Special Representativeof the Secretary-General on Climate and Security to the UNSC that, supported by a well-resourced staff, manages climate risks more effectively. As the prime minister of Nauru stated: “It is a critical gap in the UN system that must be filled immediately”.
Consequently, the SIDS officials welcomed the establishment of the “Group of Friends on Climate and Security” that works on highlighting the nexus between the threats of climate change and international peace and security.
- Establishing strong ties: the Netherland at the Group of Friends on Climate and Security
On the 27th of September, the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands spoke at the “Group of Friends on Climate and Security”. An initiative of Nauru and Germany that aim to group states affected by the issue and particularly committed to a greater integration of the topic. In essence, the group aims at cooperating to develop solutions for the impact of climate change on security policy, raise public awareness and boost the involvement of the UN in this area.
Mr. Blok reaffirmed the Dutch commitment to mainstream security risks of climate change at the UNSC by enhancing cooperation with the SIDS and by furthering those links through the Planetary Security Initiative (PSI). Once again, the PSI becomes a point of reference for policy-makers to merge the communities of knowledge and the communities of practice towards actionable solutions.
- Stationary bikes for moving actions: a friendly discussion on climate security as a root cause of conflicts
The Swedish Foreign Minister and the Dutch Foreign Minister demonstrated action when biking towards COP24 while exchanging the need to cooperate in order to raise awareness on climate security. Mr. Blok stated that “both countries need to work closely to fight climate change, especially in making societies aware that climate change is a root cause of conflict.” Ms. Wallström similarly stated that “climate change is a reality that affect us all, even in the Northern hemisphere. The international community must come together to ensure that we tackle the link between security and climate change.”