"The environmental consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine are arguably better documented than any conflict in history." 

On the 13th of February 2024, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened under the initiative of Guyana to debate the interconnection between the global issue of climate change, the rising number of armed conflicts, and the worrying growth of food insecurity on the planet. The threat of food availability is of particular concern as its consequences are multifaceted and wide reaching for millions across the globe.

This book brings together two important fields in the study of international politics and policy: climate change adaptation and mitigation (climate action) and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Both have attracted strong scholarly attention in their respective research silos, but there is yet to be a strong research push that explores the relationship between the two.

Between the 16th and 18th of February 2024, the international community’s most prominent figures in the field of defence and security will gather in Munich for the 60th Munich Security Conference to “debate on the world’s most pressing security challenges”. Within the overarching aim of building peace through dialogue, one of the crucial topics that will be addressed are the security implications of climate change.

Perspectives from a Regional Working Group on Climate Change, the Environment, Peace and Security in Latin America

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is a region of unparalleled ecological diversity, encompassing tropical rainforests, arid deserts, and expansive coastlines, making it particularly susceptible to the far-reaching impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Beyond its diverse and unique natural landscapes, Latin America faces a complex web of climatic and environmental challenges that transcend national borders.

Climate and security risks are compounding in Yemen, impacting its population clearly and directly, but also through less visible, indirect effects. While violent conflict, at both the national and local levels, is likely to continue in the near future, the effects of climate change are projected to grow more pronounced over time. Problems including rising temperatures, rainfall variability, desertification, and vanishing water reserves are all set to intensify, exacerbating both the drivers and the effects of the conflict on the population.

While green innovations could play a pivotal role in the EU’s defence sector, the two have so far hardly been connected.

The EU institutions are working hard to come up with new communications on the upcoming European Defence Industrial Strategy and a 2040 emission reduction target, just before EU politicians head into elections in June.

India’s perspectives on climate security are usually characterized by its positions on the issue in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). However, the Indian narratives on climate security are shaped by multiple factors - both at the international and domestic level. While India has so far opposed the introduction of climate change in the UNSC agenda, there have been sporadic attempts to include climate change in the domestic security agenda.

On 30 January 2024, NATO hosted its annual Climate Change and Security Roundtable in Brussels. This event brought together government representatives from NATO member and partner countries, as well as renowned climate change experts and scientists to discuss the latest developments in our understanding of the impact of climate change on security.

On 28 November, PSI spoke to Catherine Wong, who serves as global team leader for Climate and Security Risk and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). We learned about her personal motivations and the tangible approaches implemented to reduce the negative security impacts of climate change.