Climate change

Climate change is high on both domestic and international political agendas as countries face up to the huge environmental challenges the world now faces. Whilst this attention is welcome, less energy is being focused on the inevitable impact climate change will have on security issues. The well-documented physical effects of climate change will have knock-on socio-economic impacts, such as loss of infrastructure, resource scarcity and the mass displacement of peoples. These in turn could produce serious security consequences that will present new challenges to governments trying to maintain stability.

The Climate Security Council?

Joe Thwaites | Exclusively written for sustainablesecurity.org | July 2011

Issue:Climate change

Writing exclusively for SustainableSecurity.org, Joe Thwaites takes an in-depth look at the discussion at the UN Security Council on the security implications of climate change. Joe analyses the debate over whether the Council is an appropriate forum for dealing with climate change discussing the views of both great powers and those who are set to lose most from a warmer global climate in the years ahead. 

 

Image source: United Nations

Read more »

Posted on 28/07/11

UNSC's Climate Change Session Masks Members' Intransigence

Ben Zala | World Politics Review | July 2011

Issue:Climate change

Last week's discussion at the U.N. Security Council on the security implications of climate change was an important step in the right direction. This is only the second time that the subject, which may turn out to be the defining issue for global security in the 21st century, has made it onto the agenda of the U.N. body charged with maintaining international peace and security. The discussion's importance is limited, however, since the real path to addressing the security implications of climate change lies outside the council.

Read the full article here. You will need a subscription to WPR to read the full article; if you are not subscribed already then you can get a free trial subscription here.

Image source: Riacale. 

Read more »

Posted on 27/07/11

Indonesia’s Military and Climate

Eddie Walsh | The Diplomat Blogs | July 2011

Issues:Climate change, Global militarisation

With more than 17,000 islands and 80,000 kilometres of coastline, Indonesia is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Analysts believe that rising temperatures will almost certainly have a negative impact on human security in Indonesia, which in turn will increase the probability of domestic instability and introduce new regional security concerns. With this in mind, it’s important that Indonesia’s armed forces take a range of measures to prioritize environmental security, including procuring new equipment, strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, and undertaking training for new roles and missions.

Article source: The Diplomat Blogs

Image source: Studio Titus

Read more »

Posted on 25/07/11

The Geopolitics of Climate Change

Chris Huhne | Department of Energy and Climate Change | July 2011

Issues:Climate change, Marginalisation

In a speech to Future Maritime Operations Conference at the Royal United Service Institute, London, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change examines the security implications of climate change:

“We cannot be 100% sure that our enemies will attack our country; but we do not hesitate to prepare for the eventuality. The same principle applies to climate change, which a report published by the Ministry of Defence has identified as one of the four critical issues that will affect everyone on the planet over the next 30 years.

Around the world, a military consensus is emerging. Climate change is a ‘threat multiplier’. It will make unstable states more unstable, poor nations poorer, inequality more pronounced, and conflict more likely. And the areas of most geopolitical risk are also most at risk of climate change.”

Article source: DECC

Image source: DECCgovuk

Read more »

Posted on 20/07/11

Drought in east Africa the result of climate change and conflict

Felicity Lawrence | The Guardian | July 2011

Issues:Climate change, Competition over resources, Marginalisation

Aid agencies say that weather in the region has become more erratic and years of war leave populations especially vulnerable

Prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa is the immediate cause of the severe food crisis already affecting around 10 million people in parts of Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. Rains have failed over two seasons, with a strong La Niña event having a dramatic impact across the east coast of Africa. Now this year's wet season has officially ended, there is little prospect of rain or relief before September.

Article source: The Guardian

Image source: Oxfam International

Read more »

Posted on 14/07/11

Preparing for the Impact of a Changing Climate on U.S. Humanitarian and Disaster Response

The New Security Beat | The New Security Beat | July 2011

Issue:Climate change

 Climate-related disasters could significantly impact military and civilian humanitarian response systems, so “an ounce of prevention now is worth a pound of cure in the future,” said CNA analyst E.D. McGrady at the Wilson Center launch of An Ounce of Preparation: Preparing for the Impact of a Changing Climate on U.S. Humanitarian and Disaster Response. The report, jointly published by CNA and Oxfam America, examines how climate change could affect the risk of natural disasters and U.S. government’s response to humanitarian emergencies.

Article source: The New Security Beat

Image source: Oxfam International

Read more »

Posted on 14/07/11