Odisha Post (E-Paper): "Climate Change and National Security"

On 13th December, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) failed to adopt a resolution on climate change-induced security risks that exacerbate conflict across the geopolitical fault lines. India, as the only non-permanent member, voted against the draft resolution with Russia, a permanent member, vetoing it while China abstained. UNSC recorded 12 in favour of the resolution (backed by more than 112 members of the UN)

India voted against the resolution as India argued that the UNSC was not the place to discuss either issue of climate change or climate justice. India also intensely submitted that handling of climate change at the UNSC is neither acceptable nor desirable. Despite India’s staunch opposition to UNCS’s mandate on climate change, the securitisation of climate change is inevitable and indispensable.

The draft resolution, sponsored by Ireland and Niger and supported by Kenya and the majority of the UNSC members, recommended adopting climate-related security risk as a central component of UNSC’s comprehensive conflict-prevention strategies. The draft resolution argued that adverse effects of climate change could lead to ‘social tensions, exacerbating, prolonging, or contributing to the risk of future conflicts and instability and posing a key risk to global peace, security, and stability.  It is to be noted that the UNSC mandate as per the UN Charter is ‘to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the UN’.

Read More at Odisha Post, December 24, 2021. Also PDF here.