Climate change and security Conference

IES

Brussels, 17 February 2010

UN review of climate change and security

Report of the UN Secretary-General (September 2009)Climate change and its possible security implications :Threat multipliers: vulnerability, development,

statelessness, resource scarcity/abundance• « Safely managing the multiple trans-boundary effects of climate

change will require multilateral approaches»• « I urge Member States to look at cooperative approaches as the

only way of safely managing the trans-boundary effects of climate change»

• « Should tensions emerge in connection with the effects of climate change…preventing diplomacy and mediation are likely to be critical for managing the issues and fostering peaceful outcomes »

international cooperation = « threat minimizer »

ENVSEC in brief

Purpose: Transforming environment and security risks into strenghtened cooperation between and within countries

5 partners (OSCE, REC, UNDP, UNECE, UNEP) and 1 associated partner (NATO) combination of skills, experiences and networks

20 countries in 4 sub-regions of the wider Europe: South Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus, Central Asia

Implementing today 36 projects with a total budget of USD 27Mi (25 projects + 41 activities in the pipeline). Current plans to 2013

Security impacts of climate change part of the ENVSEC Plan for 2010-2012

Partner organisations’ activities related to security impacts of climate change (1)

• UNECE:

- health - livelihoods

- governance (conventions)

- shelter - regional security• UNDP:

- adaptation and resilience plans

- attracting investment

- mainstreaming climate change into development assistance

• UNEP:

- adaptation/ ecosystems resilience to a changing climate

- transition towards low carbon economies

- improvement of understanding of climate change science

- communication and awareness-raising

- multilateral environmental agreements

Partner organisations’ activities related to security impacts of climate change (2)

• OSCE:

- Strategy for Economic and Environmental Dimensions

- Security implications of climate change in the region’

• REC:

- mitigation

- adaptation

- education, training and awareness-raising (Art. 6 UNFCCC)

• NATO – associated partner: on specific military and security related expertise

Regional priorities (1)

Regional priorities (2)

ENVSEC’s activities in the field of climate change and security

1) Facilitation of exchange of information and awareness-raising E.g.: compilation of information related to climate change security, organization of workshops, identification of best practices and dissemination of information

2) Support of regional cooperation and dialogue on climate change scenarios and strategies developed by the countries or other international organisations E.g.: interstate conference/agreements/roadmaps towards common approach to climate change challenges

3) Analysis of priorities and hotspots regarding security impacts of climate change on a regional level (identification of regional ‘climate security constellations’)E.g.: South Caucasus regional study on climate change impacts

4) Support of adaptation measures related to hotspots and vulnerabilities in key sectors E.g.: floods and water security, forest fires…

Adaptation projects (various funding sources)

New projects and activities

Eastern Europe: ‘Reducing vulnerability to extreme floods and climate change in the Dniester river basin’

Southern Caucasus: ‘Regional study of impacts of climate change in the Southern Caucasus’

Central Asia: ‘Adapting to the impacts of glacial melting on water supply in Central Asia’ + ‘Adaptation to climate change in Chu-Talas river basin’

• South Eastern Europe: 9 activities (climate change impacts in mountain regions, assessments, exchange of information and awareness-raising, organisation of workshops, regional adaptation strategies…)

Thank you