Fears for Militarisation of Climate Change: Should We Be Concerned?
Publisher: Planetary Security Initiative
Author(s): Louise van Schaik, Tobias von Lossow, Maha Yassin, and Anouk Schrijver
Date: 2020
Topics: Climate Change, Disasters, Governance, Renewable Resources
he debate on how climate change and security are related is confronted by those fearing unnecessary securitisation and others being cautious about the topic of security stretching to issues beyond the abuse of power leading to deadly conflicts. Some fear climate change becoming an excuse for sending military personnel to areas that governments wish to be brought (back) under (state) control. Others are afraid of security actors getting their hands on funding for climate mitigation and adaptation, with the result that such funding does not reach the people most in need nor achieve climate policy objectives. There is also a fear of climate change being presented as a threat multiplier just to get it higher up on the political agenda in the US, where securitisation has proven to be a recipe for elevating issues on the political agenda.