FILE PHOTO: Man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment in Khartoum North Sudan. May 1, 2023
By Zeus Legaspi
Jun 15 2023
An estimated 3.5 billion people living in “climate hot spots” may face worsening peace and security risks, says the United Nations (UN).
A UN official has warned that approximately 3.5 billion people who live in “climate hot spots” may face worsening peace and security risks as their situations continue to be exacerbated by climate hazards.
“We already see a strong correlation between member states facing fragility and those facing climate change,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, told the UN Security Council on Tuesday, June 13.
He pointed out that cross-border challenges, environmental degradation, and extreme weather events are making it increasingly difficult to carry out UN peace operations.
“It is also important to note that the majority of UN peace operations are deployed in contexts that are both highly climate exposed and characterized by high levels of gender inequality,” he said.
Peace and climate crisis
Lacroix stressed that UN peacekeeping operations are encountering greater danger and political challenges due to climate hazards.
Among the 16 countries considered most “climate vulnerable,” nine currently host UN field missions. These countries include the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Mali, Haiti, and Yemen.
The UN aims to protect these populations from climate change impacts that contribute to conflicts, Lacroix said. As part of this effort, the organization is progressively implementing renewable energy solutions to reduce its environmental footprint and minimize security risks associated with fuel convoys.
“Together, we can build a future where our efforts in conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping reinforce and are complemented by our commitment to addressing the climate crisis,” he added.
‘Cooperate or we will perish’
Meanwhile, former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who was present at the speech, emphasized the interdependence of peace and sustainable development, calling for “bold policy actions” and nature-positive solutions, such as conserving forests, peatlands, coral reefs, and other ecosystems that provide clean air and water to humanity.
“Climate change exacerbates threats to human security, and war damages nature and the environment in numerous ways, from the destruction of dams – just look at Ukraine – to attacks on oil pipelines and agricultural land that sustains rural communities,” the former President explained.
Santos also warned that the world is currently focusing on vying for power, rather than cooperating to address the unprecedented challenges and existential threats faced globally.
“Unite to cooperate, or we will perish,” the former Colombian President and Nobel Prize laureate warned. – Vatican News
