CLIMATE SECURITY – A holistic approach to climate change, security and development

Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 October 2012 05:50

Leaving home: Carteret Islanders are preparing to leave their island - photo credit: Ben Bohane, wakaphotos.com

Leaving home: Carteret Islanders are preparing to leave their island - photo credit: Ben Bohane, wakaphotos.com

A Chief from the Carteret atolls sits on a coconut stump that use to mark the shoreline - photo credit: Ben Bohane, wakaphotos.com

Rising seas and salinity are destroying many gardens - photo credit: Ben Bohane, wakaphotos.com

The Pacific Institute of Public Policy has today launched one of its periodic Discussion Starters, this time revisiting the climate change issue with a focus on the security implications for Pacific island nations.

As climate change begins to bite, Pacific governments are moving to think more deeply about how to integrate climate change into national security and other development policies. How is it affecting water and food security, energy security and international diplomacy?

This paper looks at concerns over the potential for loss of sovereignty, mass migration, military confrontation and the way climate aid-for-influence can have geopolitical consequences. It also frames the situation in the post-MDG (Millenium Development Goals) world that we are rapidly approaching.

Although the challenge ahead is confronting, this paper suggests the global interest in the post 2015-MDG development agenda presents an opportunity for our leaders to press our concerns more robustly on the international stage. It is apparent that future security issues will be driven by climate change, and it is these issues that will drive the development agenda in our region.

As the strategic importance of the region grows in a new era of superpower contest, Pacific nations are in a better position to make stronger demands in global forums to address the challenges and help provide global leadership.

Download the Discussion Starter here.

For more information contact us at pipp@pacificpolicy.org or +678 29 842.


6 comments on “CLIMATE SECURITY – A holistic approach to climate change, security and development

  1. Winston Tarere on said:

    Island nations contribute around 0.4 of total carbon emissions into the atmosphere but are the first to suffer the consequences of global warming. Cartaret Islands and Kiribati and Tuvalu are scheduled to be the next to migrate from their island homes, the identity, and what makes them and their culture unique. I think the issue we need to discuss is the responsibility of the industrialized countries such as the US, China etc… but more specifically NZ and Australia. What is Australia prepared to do? Will they accept climate refugees from Kiribati and Tuvalu or are they going to setup immigration detention centers to process climate refugees like they do to the boat people.

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  5. Fox Mark on said:

    Climate change is a real issue to Pacific islanders. What are the scientific and traditional ways of addressing this issue. We know it is irreversible, but there are means. I am interested in knowing what are some of these ways means.

  6. Pingback: PiPP TV 2012-10-24 | Pacific Institute of Public Policy

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Your Say

"We need to protect the next 50 years (with action) in the next five years. Thats the urgency" - Tony de Brum

We were not taught to have constructive dialogue in our homes...the real “culprit” is our communal ways. - Semi Pauu

Whilst we're part of the Pacific regional solution for asylum seekers/refugees, we are more and more becoming asylums and refugees in our own region because of climate change. - Jacinta Manua

By talking abt it won't help anyone it is time to do something about environmental issues. - Zoya Rahiman