Will India Shift Its Stance on Climate Security in the UNSC?

Jun 18, 2020 | Dhanasree Jayaram
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India will join the UNSC as a non-permanent member for a two-year term, starting in January 2021. The elections for five non-permanent members were held by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 17 June 2020; as the only endorsed candidate from the Asia-Pacific group, India’s place in the UNSC was guaranteed. In this light, the Indian Government also released a campaign brochure presenting its priorities at the UNSC.

Unlike some of the other contenders, such as Norway and Kenya, India did not mention “climate change” overtly as a priority in its campaign. Its focus largely lay on issues such as countering international terrorism, promoting UN reforms and streamlining UN peacekeeping operations. However, India remains committed to “addressing climate change”, as India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar pointed out during the brochure launch on 5 June 2020.