Articles

Climate Change and Security: The UN Dimension

The General Assembly of the United Nations (U.N.) at its 63 General Assembly on 3 June 2009 adopted a draft resolution on "Climate change and its possible security implications" (A/63/281), which have been proposed by the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS). The resolution was adopted by a consensus and 101 states supported it.  For the first time in the history of the U.N., the United States co-sponsored a climate protection resolution.

The resolution urged the U.N. bodies to strengthen their efforts to combat climate change and to avoid intensifying potential security risks. The U.N. Secretary General was requested to submit a comprehensive report outlining the possible security risks of climate change at the General Assembly meeting in September 2009. The report should consider the views and expertise of the Member States and relevant regional and international organisations. This was the first time in history that a U.N. resolution established a direct link between climate change to international peace and security.

UN Documents

Figueres, Christina, Executive Secretary UNFCCC: A Security Address. Madrid, 15 February 2011.

United Nations General Assembly, Sixty-Fourth Session. Climate Change and Its Possible Security Implications. Report of the Secretary General. 11 September 2009.

United Nations General Assembly: "Climate change and its possible security implications", Resolution, A/RES/63/281. New York, 11 June 2009.

UN Press Release: Security Council Holds First-Ever Debate on Impact of Climate Change on Peace, Security, Hearing over 50 Speakers. 17 April 2007.

United Nations Security Council, 5663rd meeting. Tuesday, 17 April 2007, New York, S/PV.5663

EU contribution to the UN Secretary General's Report on Climate Change and
International Security.

Key Events

UN Security Council Debate "Maintenance of International Peace and Security", 20 July 2011.

UN Climate Change Conference (COP 15) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 7-18 December 2009 in Copenhagen.

UN Summit on Climate Change "Power Green Growth, Protect the Planet", 22 September 2009.

UN Security Council "Debate on Impact of Climate Change on Peace, Security". 17 April 2007.

Related Publications

Carius, Alexander 2009: "Small Islands, Big Effect: U.N. General Assembly Adopts Resolution on Climate Change and Security". ECC Newsletter June 2009.