Climate Change: UN Security Council Addresses Climate Change as a Security Risk

Jul 13, 2018 | Leila Mead, International Institute for Sustainable Development
View Original

The UN Security Council convened a session to discuss the nexus between climate change and global conflicts and to deepen understanding of climate-related security risks. The session marked the Council’s first debate on climate change and security in seven years. While speakers agreed that climate change and its impacts pose serious threats, they disagreed over the degree to which the Security Council has a responsibility to address climate change, with some arguing that the Council must address climate change as a security risk, and others warning against expanding the Council’s mandate or encroaching on the jurisdiction of other bodies. Some delegates proposed, inter alia, the appointment of a Special Representative on Climate and Security, and the establishment of an “institutional home” or hub for climate and security‑related issues within the UN system.