Addressing Climate-Related Security Risks: Towards a Programme for Action
Publisher: Weathering Risk
Author(s): Beatrice Mosello, Christian König, Adam Day, and Chitra Nagarajan
Date: 2021
Topics: Climate Change, Cooperation, Gender, Governance, Programming
Countries: Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Mali, Russian Federation, Somalia, Sudan, United States
Within the multilateral system, there is increasing interest in exploring how climate change risks interact with other factors – including livelihoods, gender inequality and women’s rights, conflict, migration and displacement, social exclusion, and wider security issues. This interest is reflected in growing scientific literature, but also across governments and international organisations. Many bilateral donors have initiated new programmes, initiatives, and institutions focused on how climate change erodes resilience in fragile countries. This policy paper responds to that demand, exploring some of the emerging approaches to analysing and responding to climate-related security risks. It is based on discussions amongst bilateral and multilateral development agencies held at the development focused session of the three-part Climate Security in 3D series, organised on 24 March 2021 by Wilton Park and adelphi, with the support of the UK Government and Weathering Risk. Based on the conference discussion, the authors suggest that bilateral and multilateral donors and governments take the following steps to deliver on the climate-security agenda: Move towards integrated strategies that deliver on both climate resilience and peace; Focus on inclusion and social transformation; Develop multi-scalar strategies that address local, national, and regional dynamics together; Invest more in learning and capacity-building; Frame climate-security as a clear complement to the broader climate change discussion.