Climate change is a global phenomenon, a stark reminder of reality, a tragedy at times, and an element of surprise at times. As the name itself states, climate change involves change. Change is often unpredictable and is one of the unchanging things in life. Many countries including Mali, Afghanistan and Liberia are battling with climate change. It has become a topic of discussion in social media, newsrooms, conference halls, Parliaments, and courts of law. It has affected security as a threat multiplier causing traditional and non-traditional threats.
Climate change
Climate, as defined by the Climate Change Knowledge Portal, is “the long-term regional or global average of temperature, humidity, and rainfall patterns over seasons, years, or decades”. How does climate change happen? Climate change occurs due to human activities and natural occurrences. According to Jeff Turrentine’s ‘What Are the Causes of Climate Change?’, natural causes include volcanic eruptions, fluctuations in solar radiation, tectonic shifts, and even small changes in our orbit, which have all had observable effects on planetary warming and cooling patterns. Human activities encompass “the unchecked burning of fossil fuels over the past 150 years, which has drastically increased the presence of atmospheric greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide”.
Efforts and success stories
Climate change dates back a long time. There are protocols, conventions, and treaties dedicated to climate change. Landmark documents include the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, the 1988 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the 1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change, the 1998 Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, the 2000 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the 2015 Paris Agreement. These conventions aim at environmental protection, sustainability, international collaboration and cooperation, environmental governance, regulatory measures and compliance, capacity building, and compliance related standards. Countries have incorporated climate into domestic legislation, including the constitutions of certain countries. Countries also engage in bilateral and multilateral agreements to preserve and protect the environment. However, some major polluting countries that have not ratified or at least pledged to these conventions indicate a red flag. As success stories, Christiana Jansen’s ‘Three Leading Countries in Climate Policy’ states that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark developed a “Global Action Climate Strategy: A Green and Sustainable World”. In 2017, the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise of Sweden developed a climate policy framework containing climate goals, a climate act, and a climate policy council.
A topic of discussion
Climate change is extra-territorial and since humankind is inextricably interlinked with the environment, which we are a species of, climate change affects everyone. Therefore, climate change has become a matter of mutual concern where enmity has no control. The culprits of climate change are most often humans themselves. The well-known maxim of equity states that “he who comes into equity must come with clean hands”. Therefore, rather than acting as victims of the repercussions caused by our actions, people must be accountable for their deeds. Environmental degradation is mostly transboundary; therefore, accountability is dispersed. However, polluters are seldom held accountable. Climate change is a matter of inevitable discussion because of its urgency and relevance. It directly affects the air that we breathe, the food that we eat, the livestock that we rely on, the soil that we tread on, and the sky that lights up. Clean air, water, and nutritious food are basic needs. If the purity of water declines, the environment becomes extremely hot or cold, and resources deplete, and human survival becomes a strenuous task. Climate change has an intergenerational impact; our ill actions today and excessive greed in resource extraction will lead to resource depletion and suffering for future generations. Therefore, for the sake of the unborn and rare species that are part of the world, climate change is a matter that should be discussed.
Security imperative
National security is no longer exclusively about physical military perspectives; rather, it has embraced soft notions. These soft notions, including food, climate, economy, politics, and information, are multifaceted. Climate change directly affects the stability of a nation. Extreme weather conditions such as warmth and heavy rain impact crops. Due to resource depletion and scarcity, there will be economic instability due to the loss of revenue and budget deficits caused by the need for imports. As stated in Benjamin Schraven, Stephen Adaawen, Christina Rademacher-Schulz and Nadine Segadlo's ‘Climate Change Impacts on Human (Im-) Mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa: Recent Trends and Options for Policy Responses’, “in Sahelian countries such as Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso, rainfall variability and the early cessation of rainfall are linked to food security threats and food deficits”. Additionally, competition for remaining resources will lead to conflicts within and among nations. Humans will also be displaced due to extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels and certain circumstances have caused climate refugees. Migration, as witnessed in today's society, has caused political as well as international tensions since infrastructure and other services need to be provided for the displaced, which also involves human rights concerns in case of breaches. In addition to economic and political security, health risks also come into play due to the spread of different diseases caused by climate change. These security notions have been stated by the UN Environment Programme: “Conflict and crisis affected contexts are more susceptible to being overwhelmed by climate change. Insecurity hinders climate change adaptation efforts, leaving already vulnerable communities even poorer and less resilient to interlinked climate and security crises.”
Beyond theory
In conclusion, climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is a pressing security threat demanding a global response. Climate change is often discussed, policies are made, and agreements are signed. Even though the initiatives taken are praiseworthy, indeed, the way climate change is felt is not the same as how people feel about war, which is immediately visible. For this reason, Government efforts to prevent and mitigate climate change are not sufficient. Climate change should not only be a topic in essays, art competitions, appealing stories, and speeches; it should also be put into action. To achieve this, policies should be strengthened and implemented after feasibility studies, with regular status checks and the monitoring of improvements. In addition, it is crucial to keep investing in public awareness. Governments and technological companies should foster and promote sustainable technologies. Businesses that resort to green practices should be given incentives and recognition as a method of encouragement. It is also important to enhance international cooperation. The Government should engage in international best practices and engage in research and development. Finally, civil society organisations and grassroots actors play a pivotal role and should be utilised for policy implementation.
(The writer is an Acting Research Analyst and a Research Assistant at the Institute of National Security Studies, the think tank established under the Ministry of Defence. The opinions expressed are her own and not necessarily reflective of the Institute or the Ministry)
……………………………………………………….
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication