Note: Only a partial summary of today’s meeting of the Security Council is available at this time. The complete summary will be issued later as Press Release SC/14728.
Opening Remarks
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, stressed that the international community has no choice but to continue efforts to keep alive the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. “We are in a race against the clock and no one is safe from the destructive effects of climate disruption,” he said Droughts and increasingly extreme meteorological phenomena are threatening food security and access to scarce resources in Somalia, Madagascar, Sudan, the Middle East and North Africa. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that climate change could increase the risk of famine and malnutrition by up to 20 per cent by 2050. Similarly, the World Bank predicts that climate change could lead to the displacement of more than 200 million people in that timeframe. Regions that are most vulnerable to climate change often also suffer from insecurity, poverty, weak governance and the scourge of terrorism. Of the 15 countries most exposed to climate risks, eight host a United Nations peacekeeping or special political mission.
When climate disruption hinders institutions from providing public services, it fuels grievances and mistrust towards authorities, he continued. In the Lake Chad basin region, Boko Haram gained new recruits, particularly from local communities disillusioned by lack of economic opportunity. In central Mali, terrorist groups have exploited the growing tensions between herders and farmers to recruit. Meanwhile, in Iraq and Syria, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) has exploited water shortages to impose its will on communities, while charcoal production provides a source of income for Al-Shabaab in Somalia. Climate change has a multiplier effect and is an aggravating factor for instability, conflict and terrorism, he said.
Citing his report on Our Common Agenda, he underlined areas requiring deeper collective action. Emphasizing that conflicts result from deep societal fractures, including poverty, human rights violations, poor governance and the collapse of essential public services — and, more broadly, a loss of hope for the future — he called first for a focus on prevention and addressing root causes of insecurity. It is crucial to promote inclusive governance, leverage local expertise and amplify the voices of women and young people everywhere. “Studies show that when women participate in negotiations, peace is more sustainable. And when they are involved in legislation, they adopt better policies for the environment and social cohesion,” he pointed out.
Turning to increasing investments in adaptation and resilience, he said that with annual adaptation costs in developing countries estimated at $70 billion, rising to $300 billion a year by 2030, developed countries must uphold promises to provide at least $100 billion per year to developing countries. He cited the ambitious Great Green Wall initiative, which is reviving degraded landscapes in the Sahel in order to improve food security, create jobs and promote peacebuilding. Further, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund is investing in innovative initiatives, including addressing water scarcity in Yemen. However, it is still far from reaching critical mass.
He went on to say that, while a third of the global population lacks early warning systems, the Climate Security Mechanism is strengthening the capacity of field missions, country teams and regional and subregional organizations in that domain. He also highlighted the “Regional strategy for the stabilization, recovery and resilience of the Boko Haram-affected areas of the Lake Chad basin region”, jointly developed by the African Union, Lake Chad Basin Commission, United Nations and other partners, to integrate humanitarian action, security, development and climate resilience. Similarly, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel has launched, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This initiative promotes an integrated and coordinated approach to climate security in the region and supports the Economic Community of West African States, Governments and local authorities in their risk-reduction efforts.
The fight against terrorism and conflict in a climate disruption context requires sustained investment, he stressed. Yet, African peace missions in the Sahel and Somalia face great funding uncertainties. Underlining that African Union peace support operations immediately require Security Council mandates, under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and predictable funding guaranteed by assessed contributions, he urged Member States to consider this matter again as soon as possible.
Briefings
MOUSSA FAKI MAHAMAT, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, emphasized: “There can be doubt that the exacerbation of the climate situation with droughts is also exacerbating global tensions because of a scarcity of natural resources.” This is particularly the case for developing countries, illustrated by data on the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin. There has also been a demographic explosion, which is increasing the pressure on scarce resources. The fight against terrorism and trafficking needs to continue, he said, noting that “This completes a picture that is already rather sombre.”
Scarcity of resources, including water and agrifood resources, is a major issue, he continued. Against this backdrop, he stressed that these phenomena are creating a fertile breeding ground for the flourishing of non-State actors, including terrorists, who are recruiting and training thousands of young people. There are various social, economic and ideological issues at play, making it difficult for States to combat the problem, he said, underscoring that in the Sahel alone there are more than 50 million people living in precarity.
In addition, there are also issues for women who are very often those who work in the fields, he pointed out, spotlighting that all of these problems bring suffering to thousands of women and girls. Additionally, they lack appropriate representation in the political sphere. In terms of climate change, the temperature is not only climbing but varying in a way that is unprecedented. More so, huge fluctuations in movements of people make it difficult to come up with a strategy to combat these issues. To deal with all of this, the solution must come from the international community. It has to fight climate change and terrorism and address the interconnection between the two. Africa is investing in mitigating the impact of climate change, he said, underscoring the important role of the African Union in that regard.
MAMMAN NUHU, Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Head of the Multinational Joint Task Force, noted that the Basin previously exported food products, including millet, sorghum, and sweet potato, as well as cash crops like cotton, rice, sesame, and dates, to name a few. Pastoral livestock herding is an ancient practice, with camel and cattle herding in the north and cattle herding in the southern basin. Fishing is practiced for subsistence and commercial purposes. However, climate variability, population pressure and insecurity are now constant threats to food security. Modelling results forecast that, by the end of the century, there will be an increase in mean annual temperature for the central and eastern basin; reduction in available water resources; shorter rainy season; changes in ecosystems; size decrease in areas with sufficiently long growing seasons: and a possible eradication of climate conditions supporting tropical forests.
Criminal activities, mostly among youth, who constitute about 60 per cent of the population, include a smuggling industry focused on drugs, arms and human trafficking, he continued. There are also clashes between farmers and herders over destruction of crops due to increased cattle movement in search of water, cattle rustling, among others. Against this background, Boko Haram ideology was introduced, leading to massive displacement and exacerbating existing water insecurity. The Multinational Joint Task Force was established to create a secure environment in areas affected by terrorist activities and facilitate stabilization programmes and humanitarian operations. However, operations aimed at neutralizing terrorists are insufficient in the medium- and long-term to eliminate threats of violent extremism. Root causes of terrorism will eventually be addressed through the Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience of people affected by Boko Haram insurgency. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also launched a Regional Stabilisation Facility on 18 July 2019 in Niamey, Niger. The $100 million Facility is intended to provide immediate stabilisation for specific areas cleared of Boko Haram control, but where communities remain vulnerable to continued infiltration and attack.
To help mitigate the effects of climate change and address root causes of insurgency, the Basin Commission and partners have executed humanitarian and development projects to restore means of livelihood, build resilience and restore the environment, he said. The Emergency Development Programme for vulnerable groups comprises 118 microprojects, to be executed within a period of 18 months, is expected to generate at least 257,000 jobs. The 10-year Lake Chad Development and Climate Resilience Action Plan (2016-2025) is designed to turn the Lake into a pole of regional rural development. As well, the Project to Improve the Hydraulic Capacity of the Lake and its Tributaries is intended to increase the capacity of the Lake, reduce water loss through evaporation and damages caused by annual flooding along Rivers Chari and Logone.
Statements
MOHAMED BAZOUM, President of Niger and Security Council President for December, speaking in his national capacity, said that his country chose the topic for today’s debate because it desires to see the Council establish the obvious nexus between peace and security on one hand, and the fight against terrorism and effects of climate change on the other. On the heel of the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), the Council must capitalize on achieved agreements and strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change within its mandate. The Sahel and Lake Chad regions eloquently illustrate the interplay between climate change effects and peace and security. Climate change disintegrates the social fabric, pushing the populations into a fierce competition for scarce resources.
This in turn leads to intercommunal conflicts with tragic consequences and increased migration, he continued. The situation has also fuelled violent extremism and large-scale crimes, leading to recruitment of young people into the networks of criminal and terrorist organizations. Defeating terrorism in the Sahel requires greater assistance from the international community. If the establishment a Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel) Support Office cannot be financed by the United Nations assessed contributions, Niger is ready to work on an alternative initiative. It is high time for the Council to adopt the resolution proposed by Niger and Ireland that would finally endow the organ with an integrated and coordinated approach to strengthen its understanding of the impact of climate change on peace and security. Once adopted, that text will contribute effectively to integrate the consideration of climate risks into the work of peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations as well as into mediation and conflict prevention efforts.
ALAR KARIS, President of Estonia, pointed out that nearly 31 million people were internally displaced in 2020 because of natural disasters caused by extreme weather events and climate change. Persons in vulnerable situations were hit harder. The World Bank recently estimated that the total number of “climate migrants” could be as high as 216 million by 2050. Climate change and environmental degradation prepare the ground for social instability, conflict, terrorism and extremism, and act as threat multipliers for security risks and human rights violations. On this, he highlighted conflict for natural resources within and between States and the desperation of those who have lost their livelihoods, homes, loved ones or hope for a better future. Such circumstances facilitate illegal trade and terrorist organizations’ ability to capitalize on such instability and misery. “This is what we currently witness, for example, at the European borders,” he said.
Against that backdrop, he stressed that “it is time to go beyond the holding of thematic debates”, urging a Security Council resolution on climate and security. The Secretary‑General must receive a mandate to collect data and coordinate policy, and regular reporting would constitute a major step forward towards developing tangible prevention measures. Reiterating that women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change and are frequently targeted by terrorist groups, he underscored the need for women’s leadership and participation, along with youth engagement, in developing strategies to counter terrorism and the effects of climate change. “This is the only way to build resilient communities for everyone,” he added.
LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD (United States) said climate change is a challenge for every person, nation and continent, and a threat to international peace and security. The Security Council must address this, as it is the only body that can ensure climate change is integrated with other initiatives, including conflict prevention and humanitarian response. Unpredictable and extreme weather makes vital resources even more scarce, spurring desperation and then violence. She noted President Joseph R. Biden commissioned the first ever National Intelligence Estimate on the security implications and released an unclassified report in October, indicating climate change will increase internal conflict, and at its current pace, drive millions from their homes propelling mass migration. Those are the exact populations terrorist groups prey upon; such groups also target critical infrastructure and aid workers. Her Government has launched the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience and aims to earmark $3 billion in adaptation finance annually by 2024, ensuring that every dollar goes as far as possible in vulnerable communities. Drawing attention to the climate effects in Africa, she stressed “the debate is over”, and the Council must use its unique powers to address the issue head-on. She encouraged all States to co-sponsor and support the draft resolution on climate and security.
NICOLAS DE RIVIÈRE (France) said that the climate emergency increases security risks and represents a permanent danger to the world. The connection between climate change and insecurity is solidly established; it is seen in the Horn of Africa, Sahel, and the Middle East, where it impacts access to water and natural resources and allows armed groups to prosper. In the Sahel, climate change impacts on agropastoral systems allow terrorist groups to instrumentalize inter-ethnic and economic conflict, he said, calling for natural resources to be better allocated. Noting that the $19 billion Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative will restore degraded land, create 10 million jobs and capture 250 million tons of carbon, he called on more support to be lent to regional and subregional organizations such as the G5 Sahel, to strengthen their response to climate change impacts. The Council’s unity and spirit of compromise are essential in the face of climate change, which is a major test for multilateralism calling for coordinated action. There must be a better understanding of the way climate change and crises feed one another, so that States and their resilience can be reinforced, and an overreliance on peacekeepers can be avoided, he said.
JUAN RAMÓN DE LA FUENTE RAMÍREZ (Mexico) said that today’s meeting builds on the analyses that the Security Council has been developing with regard to the impacts of climate change and the actions that it can take to address related security risks. The climate crisis has the potential to broaden the causes of conflict in general. In order to make the preventive work of the Security Council in this area more effective, the international community needs to better understand the contexts that lead to the radicalization of individuals or groups. Referring to sea level rise, he said that this can lead to the loss of Statehood in cases where the territory of an island nation ends up being totally covered by sea or becomes an unviable place to live. This gives rise to questions of protection, evacuation and relocation of people to places abroad, as well as the human rights of those displaced. All of these are elements that the international system must bear in mind, he said, noting that the International Law Commission was currently studying sea level rise in this regard. The concept of security now includes environmental and natural resource security. The illicit trafficking in natural resources and the loss of biodiversity are triggers for violence, he warned.
INGA RHONDA KING (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) said urgent multilateral action is clearly needed, as the social and economic costs of the COVID-19 pandemic multiply, more lives and livelihoods are disrupted globally by climate change, and the consequences of terrorism escalate. “Our decisions now will define the social, economic and political realities of the post-pandemic era,” she said. Pointing out that countries most subjected to the security risks of climate change and terrorism tend to be underdeveloped and have a history of colonialism, she called for comprehensive development plans and strategies that reinforce sovereignty, rebuild public trust, restore social contracts and promote peace and prosperity. Relying on militaristic means or a narrow economic calculus will prove elusive and illusory, she said, calling on the international community to work together to deliver on existing agreements, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Further, developed countries and international financial institutions should scale up overseas development assistance (ODA) and capacity-building initiatives. The draft resolution can bolster a comprehensive approach on addressing the multi-dimensional challenges posed by climate change.
GERALDINE BYRNE NASON (Ireland), calling climate change the “defining challenge of our time”, said it exacerbates existing inequalities and insecurities and acutely impacts those already living in poverty and in conflict. Poor Government response to extreme weather events weakens the social contract between citizen and State, providing breeding grounds for terrorist groups in conflict situations. “We have a responsibility, at this Council, to break this vicious and self-reinforcing cycle,” she stressed. Regarding the impact of climate change on regions, including the Lake Chad Basin, she underlined the need for more empirical analysis to facilitate decisive action and called for an end to the misuse of counter-terrorism laws to stigmatize and criminalize environmental human rights defenders and civil society organizations working on climate change issues. Noting that the 13 Council products this year have included language on the adverse impacts of climate change, she called for a more structured and systematic approach to prevent and resolve conflicts exacerbated by climate change. Calling for Council members to support a climate security advisor in South Sudan through the United Nations Climate Security Mechanism, she also urged support for the Niger and Ireland-led thematic Security Council resolution addressing climate-related security risks within its mandate. Underlining the need to integrate such concerns into conflict resolution, prevention and mediation efforts, she stressed: “failure to do so is unconscionable.”
MONA JUUL (Norway), said that climate change can accelerate the factors identified as underlying drivers of terrorism — including displacement, weakened governance, food insecurity and resource competition. Combined, these can create fertile ground for radicalization and recruitment. “The underlying factor is fragility,” she stressed, as climate change undermines communities’ ability to cope with crises. Successfully fighting climate change and countering terrorism both depend on promoting good governance and reducing vulnerabilities. To this end, she urged, inter alia, the meaningful inclusion of all affected stakeholders and the strengthening of partnerships with national and regional actors, especially the African Union. Emphasizing that “where vulnerabilities overlap, solutions tend to overlap as well”, she said that peace efforts should be climate-sensitive, climate action should be conflict-sensitive and peacebuilding should be “climate-proof”. A coordinated approach by the United Nations and the Council is needed, she stressed, adding support for a resolution on climate and security.
VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) stressed the need to protect nations from climate change’s negative effects through global efforts, beginning with the United Nations development system. The Office of Counter-Terrorism can provide technical assistance at the request of local authorities, considering specific needs. ISIL’s incursion into Africa is related to porous borders and socioeconomic hardship, exacerbated by the COVID‑19 pandemic and weak authorities on the ground, with conditions particularly severe in the Sahel. Underscoring the need to examine each country or region individually for causes of instability, he said these may include lack of outside assistance when local institutions are unable to cope. But forcing climate change onto peacekeeping operations, moving the focus from poverty and weak institutions, politicizing and detaching it from a scientific approach, will have disastrous results. Adding that the link between terrorism and climate is unclear, thus making it unsuitable for a Council debate, he said discussion of the phenomenon should be left to other relevant United Nations bodies, including the Economic and Social Council.
T.S. TIRUMURTI (India) said it is not appropriate to draw a separate link between security and climate change especially when all aspects of climate change are already being dealt with, holistically, under the mandate of UNFCCC. A debate in the Security Council, ignoring basic principles and provisions relating to climate change, has the potential to disrupt overall discussions on this important topic. To move the climate change discourse from a consensus-driven template to a possibly divisive process may not be advisable. “Let us not deviate from an established and inclusive processes of decision-making with all the developing countries participating,” he said. Further, while recognizing the fact that climate change has impacted lives and exacerbated conflicts in many places, he stressed that viewing conflicts only through the prism of climate change presents a myopic perspective. The report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change clearly states that the effect of climate variability on violence is contested. There is also no clear scientific pronouncement directly equating climate change with security concerns. Oversimplification of causes of conflict will not help in resolving them nor can it justify terrorist acts or extreme policy measures, he said.
ZHANG JUN (China), observing that terrorism is a real threat to Africa, in particular the Sahel, expressed support for the joint counter-terrorism operations by Niger and its other countries in the subregion. He also advocated for sustainable and predictable funding and logistics assistance for such activities. However, the military approach is not sufficient, he pointed out, highlighting the need for the international community to help address the root causes of conflict, including food insecurity. He also called on developed countries to honour their commitments to support developing States by providing financial assistance, transferring technology and helping them with national capacity-building. The Security Council should consider security risks driven by climate change, based on country-by-country or situation-by-situation analysis. In addition, he stressed the need to respect common but differentiated responsibility for addressing the effects of climate change.
HAI ANH PHAM (Viet Nam) pointed out that half of the twenty countries considered most vulnerable to climate change find themselves on the agenda of the Security Council. Some situations, including in the Sahel region, are fraught with threats of terrorism and climate change, environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources. He called on States not to allow terrorist groups to exploit the tensions and grievances exacerbated by climate change to further erode State governance, increase recruitment, radicalize disenfranchised people, drawing them to violent extremism. Urging a holistic approach at both global and national levels to address all aspects of these issues, he stressed that inclusivity is the key to ensure the active participation of vulnerable countries, communities, groups, women and youth. Emphasizing the need to adequately invest in anticipation and resilience, he also underscored that equality should be ensured by equity through international cooperation and solidarity. No single country can deal with those threats along, especially climate change, he said.
BARBARA WOODWARD (United Kingdom) stressed that many of the nations most affected by the climate change are also among the world’s most fragile. The impacts of climate change act as a multiplier of the threats already facing vulnerable populations. Further, countries enduring conflict are hit especially hard. With institutions under pressure, communities displaced and societies insecure, these nations are less equipped to cope with the impacts of climate change. Pointing to situations in the Sahel region, in Iraq and Syria, she called on States to take actions, recalling the ambitious commitments made by States during the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this year, including doubling adaptation finance and meeting the $100 billion goal by 2023 the latest. She also stressed the need for the United Nations system to report comprehensively on the links between climate and security. In that regard, the Council’s Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate should continue to examine the conditions and environments in which terrorism develops and thrives.
MARTIN KIMANI (Kenya), underscoring that the phenomenon is exacting its greatest costs in countries least responsible for causing it, highlighted the lack of ambitious climate change adaption in Africa. The problem is not convincing the Security Council that there is a link between climate change effects and resource conflicts that may offer terrorists new opportunities to exploit. It is convincing the Council that African crises require and deserve that the Council fully live up to its mandate. ”We need the Security Council to provide solutions that respond to the challenge, not other factors,” he said Climate change adaptation is the most peace-positive undertaking in regions like the Sahel. In that regard, the private sector must design investment-ready projects in line with environmental, social and governance criteria, he said, adding that capacity-building is needed to identify and prepare these projects. Effective counter-terrorism will not emerge from climate action; it is rooted in competent security services actively integrating efforts to address the scourge with neighbouring countries. The Security Council must understand that regional capabilities require international financing or United Nations peacekeeping will fail to prevent State collapse in multiple countries. A State must also be capable of supporting local livelihood uplift, he said, emphasizing that climate adaptation can play a vital role in this arena.
TAREK LADEB (Tunisia) recalled his country’s consistent urging that root causes linked to conflict be addressed through a multilateral, holistic approach based on the concept of collective security, along with innovative mechanisms capable of addressing common, transboundary challenges. Climate change deepens vulnerability and instability, fuels tension and violence and leads to protracted conflict, especially in Africa. He stressed the need to abandon context-based approaches, and instead include climate dangers systematically in the Council’s efforts to maintain international peace and security. To this end, he supported the practical suggestions in today’s draft resolution, and expressed hope that it will be adopted unanimously to send a clear, strong message. He also pointed out that, although climate change is an international phenomenon, some regions have been affected more than others, particularly in the Sahel. People in these areas are struggling to adapt to shocks reverberating from climate change, and he stressed the need to consider development and capacity-building when addressing the security repercussions of these changes to prevent a descent into a spiral of violence and conflict.
MAJID TAKHT RAVANCHI (Iran) said that although his country has taken significant steps to address and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, the United States’ imposition of unlawful sanctions against Iran has prevented its access to much needed financial resources and technology to tackle challenges associated with climate change. That country has also adversely affected Iran’s national capacities to carry out undertakings in that regard. While terrorism constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security, climate change is a development issue, he stressed, adding that there is no scientific evidence establishing a direct link between climate change and international peace and security. Noting that climate change could create a conducive environment for terrorist groups to exploit the situation and recruit vulnerable people, he said Member States must be extremely cautious about establishing a linkage between international peace and security and climate change. Addressing the underlying causes is imperative. To that end, all Member States must adhere to their respective obligations based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
OSUGA TAKESHI (Japan) said in conflict-prone areas, human insecurity, exacerbated by climate issues, becomes a multiplier of violent conflict. He urged the international community to pay more attention to the human dimension of the security paradigm. Both terrorism and climate change should be addressed through institutions at the local and national levels, as they are most effective in preventing security risks, with their impartiality in the security and justice domains being key in establishing the rule of law and fighting impunity. This year, Japan provided $3 million apiece to Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad to build capacity and, since 2013, has provided aid to seven countries in West Africa and the Sahel to establish credible criminal justice institutions by training police, prosecutors and judges. Capacity-building is integral in strengthening institutions, he affirmed, adding that those in the social sector must further address the deep-rooted cause of terrorism. After setting up a primary education programme in Niger in 2004, his Government has built or improved 53,000 schools in eight African countries, and will continue to support those States most severely affected by climate change in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.
RONALDO COSTA FILHO (Brazil) pointed out that the depletion of resources — aggravated by severe drought — is exacerbating tensions and forcing migration, particularly in the Sahel. Extreme events such as this can devastate social groups and disrupt production systems and local economies, creating a breeding ground for dangerous social consequences such as the emergence of terrorist threats. However, he spotlighted his country’s cautious stance in approaching climate change from a strict security angle. This could distance the international community from an adequate response. Highlighting the need to avoid duplication of work and to respect specific mandates and responsibilities within the United Nations system, he said that UNFCCC is properly equipped to discuss and address any specific climate-change concerns in an inclusive, balanced manner. Time and energy diverted to reallocate the climate agenda to the Security Council would be better spent fostering financial flows to support existing commitments and enhanced climate action, he said.
MICHEL XAVIER BIANG (Gabon) emphasized the links between terrorism and climate change, which are amplifying tensions and crises in many regions of the world, particularly in Africa. Noting that on 9 March, the African Union demonstrated the negative effects of climate change and the threat they represent to peace, security and stability on the continent, he said climate change amplifies the propensity for violence and conflict, leaving poor communities less resilient and leading to an increase in political instability, economic weakness, food insecurity and large-scale migration. The Sahel must be at the heart of political action, he said, calling for commensurate logistical, material and financial support to be extended to the G5 Sahel joint force.
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