Statement by Ambassador S. Jürgenson at UN Security Council VTC debate Humanitarian Effects of Environmental Degradation and Peace and Security

Mr. President,

I thank the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr Peter Maurer; The Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Mr Ibrahim Thiaw and Earth Ambassador, Ms Inna Modja for their informative and insightful contributions.

The significance of the link between climate change and peace and security was first addressed 13 years ago in 2007 in the Security Council under the aegis of the United Kingdom, and today it is more relevant than ever.

In order to improve people’s livelihoods in Africa, including the Lake Chad Basin Region, it is important to address this link more efficiently.
Many of the countries vulnerable to climate change do not have the capacities to cope with climate related security risks and need assistance from the international community. There are tools available – the key is to use them.

In order to understand the consequences of climate change in armed conflicts as in the Sahel Region, data is a fundamental prerequisite. We need reliable and accurate information. Therefore, it is important to improve the collection and quality of data and find inter alia innovative solutions to analyse the exacerbating role that climate change plays in the context of armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies. This will allow for both better risk assessment, and better risk management. Also, it will enable a systematic approach to include climate-related security risks into the work of the Security Council. An approach that is urgently needed, and an idea that could become reality if the Security Council were to receive systematic reporting by the Secretary-General on climate-related security risks.

It is clear that climate change poses a real and present threat to peace, security and stability in many regions around the world, including the Sahel Region. Populations depending on economic activities such as farming, herding and fishing are extremely exposed to such risks and affected by food insecurity. Climate change brings competition for energy and natural resources. Therefore, it is important to create well-designed resource management policies and to invest in building resilience of the most affected regions.

However, the implications of the climate-related security risks are not just a local or a national problem, but a cross-border phenomenon. And day by day the latter exacerbates in areas with permeable borders and insufficient State authority. Consequently, this calls for duly multilateral coordination and an uncompromising humanitarian response, including better implementation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

In order to effectively respond to security threats posed by climate change in the Lake Chad Basin Region, we need a comprehensive national, regional and international collaboration as well as a strengthened coordination and integration within the UN and its agencies and Missions.

Finally, it is important to continue our efforts in finding pertinent solutions. This is not a quick fix, but the only way forward.

Thank you, Mr. President.