Climate Change as a Security Issue

Climate Change as a Security Issue Background Guide

Why is climate change a security issue?
The year 2009 is a defining moment for the issues of climate change & security. The negotiations at Copenhagen will be crucial in the struggle to contain damage from climate change. We must all be aware of the need to address the threats to human and environmental security caused by Climate Change. In order to create a stable world security, there must first be environmental security. The U.N. encourages all Member States to strive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals1 as well as reduce poverty and water shortages around the world. The U.N. is working to fight global warming and ensure the safety and security of all. The lack of resources, including the threat to nations who rely on seasonal agriculture as a source of food is a serious issue. There are already over 10 million environmental refugees. Estimates have said that there will be at least 200 million environmental refugees before 2050. This massive migration is a serious border control issue.

Agriculture and Territory
The rise in sea level and the destruction of territory suggests that other nations will be forced to invade areas with adequate food and water, which could lead to war. Environmental challenges such as land degradation, deforestation, climate change, and water scarcity and pollution can threaten our security, but managing these environmental challenges can also build confidence and contribute to peace.

These environmental challenges have caused many to be environmental refugees who can no longer gain a secure livelihood in their homelands because of drought, soil erosion, desertification, deforestation and other environmental problems, together with associated problems of population pressures and profound poverty. In 1995 these environmental refugees totaled at least 25 million people, and this number could well double by 20102. When global warming takes hold, there could be as many as 200 million people overtaken by environmental disruptions. Some 20 countries with a projected population of 440 million are expected to experience up to 25 percent shortfall in food supplies, and a further eight countries with a projected 75 million people face more severe deficits. We need to expand our approach to refugees in general in order to include environmental refugees in particular. We cannot continue to ignore environmental refugees simply because there is no institutionalized mode of dealing with them. Global warming is a main concern; it could threaten large numbers of people with displacement by 2050 or earlier. At least 50 million people could be at severe risk through increased droughts and other climate dislocations.

The Importance of Water
Water, a vital source of life, has been known for centuries to be a major cause of tensions or conflict -- within countries, as well as among nations. With world demand for water increasing six-fold over the 20th century, there was no let-up in disputes over trans-boundary water issues, prompting some experts to predict that the wars of the 21st century will be fought over water. There are more than 3,800 unilateral, bilateral multilateral declarations or conventions on water: 286 are treaties, with 61 referring to over 200 international river basins. The past half century has witnessed more than 500 conflict-related events over water, seven of which have involved violence. According to UNESCO, 145 nations have territory within a trans-boundary basin, and 21 lie entirely within one. Twelve countries have more than 95% of their territory within one or more trans-boundary basins. Approximately one third of the existing 263 trans-boundary basins are shared by more than two countries. The U.N. must reinforce cooperation tools and mechanisms that will strengthen the capacities of African countries to achieve the Millennium Development target to ‘halve by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.’ An estimated 1 million Africans die every year from sanitation, and drinking water-related diseases. Around 60% of the African population does not currently have access to safe sanitation or water and are forced to drink contaminated water because they do not have the money to purchase clean, drinkable water.

What is being done to assure international and national security?
Organizations such as the Institute for Environmental Security has taken on all aspects of peaceful environmental growth including an action plan to prevent civilian crises, anti-corruption in developing nations such as Africa, and the Environmental Violence and Security: Implications for Global Security plan to prevent security threats in Canada, especially.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has developed a Special Programme for Food Security which encourages investment in infrastructure, urban agriculture, and other successful food security practices. Since 1995, over $770 million from donors and the national government has been invested into FAO food security programs. The FAO has also created initiatives to battle the scarcity of water around the world. A well developed plan has been put forth in order to make sure that nations are properly conserving water and offers strategies for how to supply clean and safe water to those developing nations in need.

The Secretary General has issued a report on the importance on the Global Food Security Crisis and demands that it be addressed immediately. The report discusses how food prices are still more than they have ever been in the past and that more people around the world are suffering from malnutrition and hunger. The declining investment in agriculture is leading to food shortages world-wide.