Fifteen countries and eight organisations were represented at the Hague Roundtable on Climate and Security that was held on 25 October 2016 at the Embassy of Canada to the Netherlands. The Roundtable meeting series is an initiative that brings together international stakeholders including embassy and organisation representatives for sharing information and identifying opportunities for cooperation in addressing climate risks to peace and sustainable development.
Wouter Veening, Chairman of the Institute for Environmental Security (IES), presented the latest publication from the Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change (GMACCC). The report “Climate Change & Security In South Asia: Cooperating For Peace” analyses current and likely regional climate impacts on political stability, livelihoods and conflict. The report encourages regional cooperation especially on transboundary water resources and disaster response to help mitigate larger risks to regional stability. GMACCC Chairman, Major General Muniruzzaman (Ret.) of Bangladesh, addressed the Roundtable by video message from Bangladesh to introduce the report and stress importance of joint action against a common threat.
The round table meetings also support the annual Planetary Security Conference in the Netherlands by providing an interactive platform on the subject throughout the year. Other presentations at the fourth Roundtable meeting included the Microbial Desalination (MIDES) project, transboundary water cooperation from UNESCO-IHE, and a COP 22 preview.
Previous round table meetings:
- 3rd meeting at the Embassy of Germany in April 2016: http://gmaccc.org/the-hague-roundtable-on-climate-and-security-meets-at-embassy-of-germany/
- 2nd meeting at the Embassy of France in October 2015: http://www.envirosecurity.org/news/single.php?id=370
- 1st meeting at the Embassy of the United States in May 2015:
http://gmaccc.org/climate-and-security-action-is-focus-at-u-s-embassy-event/
For more information on The Hague Roundtable on Climate and Security, contact Matt Luna, Roundtable creator and organiser, at mluna@envirosecurity.org