Climate Change and National Security Strategies: Assessing a Growing Trend

Aug 15, 2023 | Anselm Vogler
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The multifaceted and cross-sectoral nature of climate security issues connects virtually all fields of governance, and evokes a considerable variety of possible responses. These options include conventional policy approaches such as problem mitigation by emission reductions and environmental protection, as well as adaptation to first-order impacts via disaster preparation and response. 

In light of these concerns, I investigated how national governments frame climate security. Do their problem definitions open up space towards sustainable policy approaches? Or do they instead define the problem to be the nail to their hammer?

Choosing the right policies to maintain climate security is crucial. My analyses show that national security strategy documents often fall short of making the right choices, while civil ministries offer better approaches to climate security. These approaches have a sounder foundation—and focus political attention more effectively on the need to address ongoing and human-made environmental change.