.

Back to Overview
Climate Change
Climate Diplomacy
Security
Global Issues
16 November, 2016

Global Climate and Security Consensus Statement

Planetary Security Initiative

Now that the at times turbulent US election has past, attention must return to cooperating on the global challenges that affect us all, like climate change which 23 high profile military leaders and experts from around the world have today labelled as a threat to peace and stability. In a joint Global Climate and Security Consensus Statement issued by the Climate Security Working Group, the signatories have called for world leaders to address climate risk in their national, regional and international security planning.

Signatories range from Rear Admiral David Titley, Ph.D., U.S. Navy (ret) Former Oceanographer of the Navy Professor of Practice, Pennsylvania State University to Lieutenant General Tariq Waseem Ghazi (ret) Pakistan and former Dutch diplomat, Alexander Verbeek, who founded the Institute for Planetary Security. The Institute is involved in an annual conference in The Hague on December 5 and 6 which will explore how to build peace and cooperation in times of climate change and global environmental challenges.

The Climate Security Working Group - International is a non-partisan collective of experts who work together to ensure governments are responding to the risk posed to peace and security by climate change.

The statement comes after the Obama Administration launched a presidential memo in September which requires the National Security Council complete an "Action Plan" to address climate security by around December 21 and follow up with an implementation plan by the end of February. This move is considered to be one of the most comprehensive responses to climate and security issues of a national government so far, and comes off the back of the G7's work in the area. At the Paris Climate Summit last year, a "Climate Displacement Task Force" was established to draw up recommendations on measures "to avert, minimise and address displacement related to the adverse effects of climate change." But of course there is much more to do with very few countries having actually incorporate climate change risk into their defense strategies.

Read the statement. 

 

This article originally appeared on the Planetary Security Initiative's website.

The Planetary Security Conference, co-organised by adelphi and other leading think tanks, is meant to address the climate-security nexus and will take place from 5-6 December in The Hague.  

Source:
Planetary Security Initiative
Related Reading 
Planetary Security Conference 2016

How can climate-induced risks become an integral part of foreign and security policy? The Planetary Security Conference, organised by adelphi and other leading think tanks, is meant to deliver answers to this question and will take place from 5-6 December in The Hague.  

Read more
Planetary Security Conference 2015 in Videos

Acknowledging that climate change is a global threat to security in the 21st century, the Dutch government has convened an international conference on Planetary Security on 2-3 November 2015 in the Hague. The aim of the conference was to facilitate strategic exchange on existing foreign policy and security architecture.

Read more
Climate Change
Climate Diplomacy
Energy
Finance
Minerals & Mining
Private Sector
Sustainable Transformation
Technology & Innovation
Global Issues
Asia
25 July, 2018

Different yardsticks: China's coal policy at home and abroad

Lou del Bello

As the world's biggest polluter, what China decides to do with its energy policy matters to the whole planet. And while progress on the domestic front has rightly won Beijing praise from climate scientists, China is the world's largest funder of coal plants overseas. Is the country employing double standards?

Biodiversity & Livelihoods
Climate Change
Climate Diplomacy
Conflict Transformation
Development
Early Warning & Risk Analysis
Security
Sustainable Transformation
Global Issues
25 July, 2018

Why Foreign Policy Should Embrace the SDGs – Side Event in New York

Stella Schaller, adelphi

To shift humanity onto a sustainable path and secure peace, transformative change is required – globally. The UN’s 17 SDGs serve as critical guardrails. But what is the role of foreign policy in the implementation of these goals and what are the side-effects that diplomacy must be aware of? At the UN High-level Political Forum, experts analysed the geopolitical implications of the SDGs and discussed why foreign policy need to engage with them.

Biodiversity & Livelihoods
Climate Change
Environment & Migration
Land & Food
Security
Water
Global Issues
18 July, 2018

Where the world stands on climate security? A summary of the UNSC debate.

Planetary Security Initiative

“Climate change is inextricably linked to some of the most pressing security challenges of our time,” said Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, echoing many permanent and temporary members of the United Nations Security Council. This debate, brought forward under the Swedish Presidency of the Council, aimed at bringing forth the nexus between climate change and security, not only in a context-specific manner like previously acknowledged but for the globe as a whole.

Biodiversity & Livelihoods
Climate Change
Climate Diplomacy
Early Warning & Risk Analysis
Environment & Migration
Land & Food
Security
Water
Global Issues
11 July, 2018

UN Security Council holds first debate on climate and security since 2011

Stella Schaller, adelphi

Understanding climate risks is crucial to ensuring effective and sustainable conflict prevention. On 11 July, Sweden will hold the first meeting in the UN Security Council since 2011 on climate-related security risks, to better understand how climate change impacts security, and enhance UN responses across the conflict cycle.