Extreme weather events are expected to become more severe under future climate conditions making them a source of concern for policymakers in national and international security. The lack of proper disaster preparedness could lead to conflict. But the timely provision of important climate data to decision-makers could play a key role in averting these conflicts.

As temperatures are rising, more extreme wild fires are being recorded across the world. As Australia’s Black Summer, summer fires in Siberia, Western US extreme fires and the uncontrolled fires for agriculture in Argentine indicate. This article dives deeper into the multiple security implications of increasing wildfires.

While climate change is adding another layer of fragility onto already turbulent political situation in Sudan, the government response to address these combined risks is poor. A new adelphi climate-fragility risk brief outlines dimensions where climate change interacts with and drives instability, and proposes entry points to address the climate-fragility risks in Sudan

In order to integrate climate change into European defence action, including the Common Security and Defence Policy, the European External Action Service (EEAS) has developed a Climate Change and Defence Roadmap with the aim to enhance military readiness in areas affected by climate change.

The Expert Group of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS) released a new report urging Brazilian leaders to make climate change and counter-deforestation a “security priority,” and to “climate-proof” the nation’s security.

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Israel and the Maritime Policy & Strategy Research Center, University of Haifa are organising a panel discussion on climate change and environmental security in the Mediterranean Sea on 2 December 2020 at 17:30 -19:30 CEST. Follow the link for registration and more information. 

Food insecurity is driving people away from their lands, but it also contributes to other insecurities. The Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is researching conflict - food insecurity - migration nexus to understand how agriculture and food systems could be an entry point for peacebuilding.

An important component of PSI activities in Iraq is to encourage local dialogue and research on the impact of climate change on stability. In a follow-up story with the Southern Region Environment Directorate, a local journalist from PSI and FPU media fellowship interviewed the Director to discuss saltwater intrusion impact on food security in the south.

IOM launched a new initiative to enhance the collection and use of data and evidence on environmental migration. The new initiative will serve to assess existing mechanisms and capacities in the target countries to collect and use data. It will further promote the development of state-of-the-art systems based on built national capacities.

The debate on how climate change and security are related is confronted by those fearing unnecessary securitisation and others being cautious about the topic of security stretching to issues beyond the abuse of power leading to deadly conflicts. This Clingendael alert is a call for a more open debate on what lies behind fears for the securitisation of climate change, particularly on the opposition to engage the military.