In an open UN Security Council meeting convened by Germany on climate and security, the UAE urged the council members to contribute actively towards climate change.
In a written statement, the UAE stressed that the Security Council needs to work collectively with development and humanitarian actors to reduce the change of conflict in climate-vulnerable communities.
The UAE stated, “We have long moved past the point of recognizing that there is a link between climate change and security. There is ample evidence around the world, including in our region, of how droughts, extreme weather patterns, desertification, and other climate impacts lead to societal unrest, unemployment, competition for resources, and displacement. These factors all contribute significantly to conflict and violence,”
The UAE recommended that the Council should improve and systematize the analysis of security impacts of climate change in the situations on the Council’s agenda to operationalize the climate-security nexus within the Security Council. In practical terms, the UN could begin targeted training for UN staff in conflict settings where the climate is most relevant.
The UAE emphasized the need for further development of the UN’s “anticipatory action” capabilities, particularly the use of climate-linked forecasts in Security Council deliberations, in order to mobilize resources and mandates before a crisis worsens. As a model, the UAE commended UN humanitarian agencies and the World Bank for investing in the infrastructure to reliably predict climate disasters and stresses and disburse resources in advance to save lives and reduce relief costs.
Furthermore, the UAE proposed that the UN security council authorized peacekeeping and political missions should receive enhanced guidance and internal controls to ensure that they are not intensifying local climate effects. These include groundwater depletion, deforestation, and the use of non-renewable energy supply. The UAE underscored that renewable energy is substantially cheaper than other supply options in fragile settings and would create long-term infrastructure for local communities.
