Today, ahead of the UAE’s Signature Presidency event on Climate Change, Peace and Security, Gabon, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates, have come together as part of the Joint CPS Pledges, as well as Albania and Ghana, in their national capacity, to drive this agenda forward.
The interlinkages between climate change, peace and security are undeniable. Disputes over increasingly scarce resources, changing agricultural patterns, the destruction of critical infrastructure and population displacement are some of the key drivers, contributing to conflict and violence, and climate change will act as a risk multiplier for these drivers. Climate change will jeopardise human life, livelihoods, and ecosystems and it will adversely impact local, national, regional, and global stability and security.
We are aware that the multilateral system has not faced a challenge as complex as climate change in its history. No one government nor international organisation can respond to the challenge of climate change alone. It is imperative that the multilateral system utilises the full breadth of its distinct and complementary mandates to drive appropriate responses, tailored to the specific circumstances of each situation.
The Security Council must meet its responsibility by confronting and preparing to manage the full range of conflict risk factors that climate change is likely to exacerbate. This starts with data collection and analysis in order to understand how climate change will impact – both now and in the future – the implementation of UN peace operations – and to guide how the Security Council can act in the face of such challenges.
Climate-related hazards complexify the ability of UN peace operations to respond to violence and facilitate conflict prevention and resolution. Flooding, sandstorms and other climate-related hazards impact the mobility and operations of peacekeeping troops, including their access to impacted populations.
As responsible and committed members of the Security Council and to the climate change, peace and security agenda, we stand ready to consolidate our efforts to advance a systematic, responsive, and evidence-based approach.