The Philippines is facing a range of climate and environmental risks that directly affect human security. Climate change is intensifying existing disaster risks in an active geological region known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, causing volcano eruptions, tsunamis and earthquakes, and the region faces other disaster risks, including typhoons and tropical storms, floods, droughts and landslides. At the same time, the urban areas and settlements in the Philippines are located in such a way that ca. 74% of its population is exposed to these different kinds of hazards.

Last week, the Iraqi NGO Ozon organised with PSI a get-together in the context of its Basra Forum for Climate, Environment and Security (BF). The meeting took place in Basra, Iraq and brought together approximately 40 participants from diverse backgrounds, including academics, policy-makers, civil society, environmental activists, and representatives from governmental institutions. It served as a platform to exchange and gather on-the-ground insights from the Basra region.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is home to over sixteen million refugees and internally displaced persons due to decades of conflict and instability, and the United Nations estimates that over seventy million people in the region need humanitarian assistance. At the same time, it is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to the deleterious effects of climate change; the region has seen 0.2°C (0.36°F) of warming between 1961 and 1990, and the rate of warming is intensifying.

Ahead of COP28, this joint paper from the Centre on Armed Groups and ODI examines the failure the address climate adaptation in conflict areas and areas beyond state control. The current climate adaptation paradigm focuses overwhelmingly on states, neglecting conflict areas, which are among the worst impacted by climate change and the least prepared to adapt. The paper explores what is driving the conflict climate gap and examines the opportunities and challenges for climate adaptation in conflict affected and non-state-controlled areas.

This Thursday, 30 November, the 28th United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP) will kick off in Dubai. The annual world summit serves as a meeting point for states, regional organisations, and non-state actors to discuss action in dealing with climate change and environmental loss. The ambition is to reduce human interference with the climate system.

The following text is an abstract of a new essay written by Kyungmee Kim & Tània Ferré Garcia. It was published by International Studies Review on 15 November 2023.

The following text is a newsarticle published by UNDP on 11 November 2023. 

Bamako, Mali, 11 November 2023 – In a historic move, Sahelian Countries have adopted a landmark declaration at the inaugural Sahel Climate, Peace and Security Forum in Bamako, Mali, committing to bolstering climate security in the region.

The following text is an event summary of a scenario exercise on climate security in the Balkan for a class of the Halifax Peace with Women Fellowship. It was written by Lily Boland and published by the Council on Strategic Risks on 13 November 2023.

On 31 October, the United States Department of Defence launched a new web portal regarding climate resilience. The online space, which is placed under the wing of the general DOD website, aims to serve as a central hub of climate change information to reduce complexity and inform DOD decision-making.

In recent years, Germany has increasingly directed its foreign policy focus toward the effects and risks of climate change. The 2021 elections marked a change, as the political party Alliance 90/The Greens secured five ministerial positions in the Scholz Cabinet. On their behalf, Annalena Baerbock assumed office as Minister of Foreign Affairs in December 2021. The new minister has been clear in acknowledging the interconnectedness of climate change with emerging security threats.