16 May 2019

Planetary Security Expert Interviews

In the past month we have regularly published Interviews with experts recorded at the 4th Planetary Security Conference on 19-20 February in the Hague. With a variety of expertise, topics such as the Lake Chad Crisis, Nature-based solutions, urbanization and peace-building where discussed. This article collects all interviews at one spot and provides short abstracts

Luc Bas, Director of the European Regional Office of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shares the organizations “nature-based solutions” approach towards climate action and sustainable urban development and suggests a more localized, urban and nature oriented focus.

Susanne Dröge, Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), argues that the debate on climate security is growing in prominence and dynamics, and discusses how the Paris Agreement is providing the basis to shape climate security policy. One of the biggest political challenges today is to close the gap between climate action and security objectives.

Amilcar Kraudie, Emergency Manager for Latin America at Christian Aid, emphasizes that climate change has been aggravating the already violent pattern of natural disasters, increasing their severity and destructiveness. Small island developing states (SIDS) in the Caribbean already struggle to cope with rampant population growth in its urban centers, and the scarcity of living spaces and resources that comes with it. Climate change threats the region's security and undermines development efforts.

Journalist, Peter Schwartzstein observe the relationship between a lack of livelihood options in Iraq and terrorism. In Iraq, climate shocks are deeply intertwined with the country's crumbling security. Proper water management and efficient agriculture are crucial to stay ahead of climate change and provide stability in Iraq.

The link between water and peace. Dr. Susanne Schmeier, Senior Lecturer at the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education of the UNESCO, talks about the ‘Water, Peace and Security Partnership’ that emerged from a call for action sent out at the Planetary Security Conference in 2017. In the meantime governments and organizations responded by creating a set of tools for assessing and responding to water-related security risks.

Cross-border issues require cross-border solutions. Mohammed Bila from the Lake Chad Basin Commission provides an overview of the main political developments of the past two years. Much to be done by local actors in responding to emergencies, but it is the international community that plays a central role in breaking the climate conflict trap.

Louise Van Schaik, Senior Member of the Executive Committee of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS), discusses the relationship between climate change, security and migration from a European perspective. She describes the evolution of the Planetary Security Initiative and how it had worked to help reduce and reverse security risks associated with climate change. She emphasizes the importance of identifying and undertaking climate adaptation actions for the purpose of conflict prevention and peace building efforts and underlines this with several examples

General Tom Middendorp, Chair of the International Military Council on Climate and Security and former Chief of Defence of the Netherlands, talks about being a commander in southern Afghanistan and how even after driving out the Taliban, conflict persisted because the real issue was disputes over the division of water. Middendorp describes firsthand experiences from across twenty missions on how climate change and human impacts can amplify war and negate best efforts at peacekeeping. He discusses the importance of cooperation across aid workers, diplomats, policymakers, military coalitions and other stakeholders to pursue stability at a global scale, and emphasizes the role defense communities can play in terms of offering opportunities to visionaries to develop innovative ideas.

Nicolas Regaud, Special Representative to the Indo-Pacific of the Director General for International relations and Strategy at the French Ministry of Armed Forces, explains the French point of view on the importance of acting efficiently on climate change, given that there are French nationals and territories all over the world and in areas especially vulnerable to the impacts of a warming planet. The French military plays a critical role in safeguarding its global citizens, neighbors and critical infrastructure against the impacts of climate change; as well as in providing maritime security in close partnership with regional allies. Listen to this episode to learn more about French defense activities globally and in the key warming-affected region of the Indo-Pacific.