Climate change and security as international policy issue

The risk analysis of the IPCC is clear: climate changes are apparent now and are already having negative effects on the social and economic development of developing and emerging countries. Without comprehensive measures to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gasses and adapt to climate change, the effects of these changes threaten not only human security in many regions worldwide, but also peace and stability.

Consequences relevant to security include water scarcity, threats to harvest and food production, increases in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events and the effects of climate-induced migration. In light of the limited progress of international climate policy development, there is a need for supplementary efforts to develop plans of action regarding crisis and conflict preventive climate policy and to mainstream the issue in political institutions and processes.

This challenge is being addressed by adelphi in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office and will specifically pursue the further development of the United Nations debate about climate change and security, with a view towards the further concretisation of the issue in key UN institutions. This includes support of dialogues on climate change and security in countries central to the climate policy development process such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa. adelphi was also commissioned to assist with capacity building and network development in regions especially affected by climate change by reviewing and examining the existing climate science and the identification of possible room for maneuver for conflict preventive climate policy and with integrating regional perspectives in current international policy processes and awareness raising of key actors in relevant regions regarding the necessity of regional and global climate cooperation.