Global Warming Issues Threaten International Peace and Security

Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told the media: “We have enough evidence, enough scientific findings which should convince people that action has to be taken. Based on observation, we know that there will be more floods, more drought, more heat waves and more extreme precipitation events. These things are happening.”

In the same vein, Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Programme, predicts elevated temperatures from 3 to 4 degrees over the century and a sea level increase of one meter. The threats are numerous, he said, citing the current drought in Somalia, floods in Pakistan and their implications on the food market. Climate change consequences are diverse, and their impact on peace and security could be huge: rising sea levels, drought, massive population displacement, epidemics, food crisis, scarcity of resources, etc. 

“Extreme weather events continue to grow more frequent and intense in rich and poor countries alike, not only devastating lives, but also infrastructure, institutions, and budgets — an unholy brew which can create dangerous security vacuums,” Ban Ki-moon said in an address to the Security Council mid-July during a debate on the impact of climate change.

The recent meeting focused on several issues. First, whether environmental issues should even be part of the scope of the UN, since its purpose is to ensure peace and global security. Then, the types of actions that the organization could perform on behalf of an international security threat from climate change, including the possibility to create “green helmets” that would intervene in case of environmental disaster. They would be juxtaposed to the traditional “blue helmets”.

Countries, particularly island states directly threatened by the rising waters, such as Seychelles or Maldives, were represented by Nauru President Marcus Stephen. He said that these countries put pressure on the UN to classify climate change as an international priority. Recently, he explained that climate change is a threat as important as nuclear proliferation or international terrorism.

Unfortunately, some countries do not want to hear about these problems because they fear that it may slow their economic growth. Ultimately, that was the reason why a more ambitious agreement wasn’t signed by the Security Council at the end of the discussions.  They agreed that global warming is a threat, however due to the pressure from China and Russia, the Security Council stated that they are not responsible for handling these matters.  France was disappointed that those two countries had such a negative attitude and appeared uninterested in addressing climate change.  A US diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the final agreement was missing force but recognized that it was a small step in the right direction. Personally, I do not understand why some countries still refuse to make important decisions to handle this issue, just for economic reasons. When will international leaders have the courage to make important decisions and address the challenges posed by global warming? Time is running out. The next UN conference on climate, which will be held next December in Durban, South Africa, is eagerly awaiting. Hopefully we will not be disappointed once again…