Climate and Security: Evidence, Emerging Risks and a New Research Agenda. Working paper No.12, 13 July 2013 + Workshop Report, Paris, 3-4 May 2012
Wanneau, Krystel; Gemenne, Francois
Institut du Developpement Durable et des Relations Internationales - IDDRI, 41 Rue du Four, 75006 Paris (France)2012
Institut du Developpement Durable et des Relations Internationales - IDDRI, 41 Rue du Four, 75006 Paris (France)2012
AbstractAbstract
[en] This report summarises the key findings from a research and policy workshop on climate change and human security held in Paris on 3 and 4 May 2012. Drawing upon an extensive literature review and the expertise of its participants, the workshop identified emerging risks that remained little understood and insufficiently addressed. This report highlights a new research agenda and key policy recommendations. A common challenge for policymakers and researchers are the several ramifications of the potential and existing links between climate change and security. Opportunities of environmental peace-building exist within places vulnerable to climate change and affected by conflicts. They require, however, efforts to frame climate policies within a peace agenda. States affected by changing weather patterns, increasing societal vulnerabilities and shifting demographics are constrained to develop capacity-building to adapt to environmental changes. Finally, strategic issues, including water and energy resources, as well as critical infrastructure-roads, ports or airports-are also affected by climate change. Too often, simplistic assumptions are sketched out about water scarcity conflicts, risks for critical infrastructure and tensions between climate and energy security. There is clear evidence that the human impacts of climate change are being felt more quickly and profoundly than what societies are prepared for. At the same time that it poses risks for society at large, it also opens avenues for cooperation. The work of humanitarian, military and development agencies will need to evolve and be better coordinated to tackle environmental changes. However, policy responses to climate change will need to avoid an excessive focus on the security side of the issue in order to grasp changing risks. Indeed, security responses should not overshadow responses that address root causes of climate change and development. Currently, robust bodies of research already exist around the risk of violent conflict, forced migration and human security. More bridges, however, should be built between quantitative and qualitative research, so that the observed correlations between environmental changes and conflicts are better explained. Furthermore, some key themes have not yet been properly addressed by research and policy. These include the risks of climate change to security policies; the new geopolitics that will be induced by climate change; humanitarian crises and system resilience; the risks brought about by mitigation and adaptation projects; and the linkages between climate policies and peace-building efforts
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May 2012; 13 Jul 2013; 51 p; Workshop on Climate and Security: Evidence, Emerging Risks and a New Research Agenda; Paris (France); 3-4 May 2012; ISSN 2258-7071; ; Available from the INIS Liaison Officer for France, see the INIS website for current contact and E-mail addresses
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