Abstract
Climate change has been perceived as a security issue too crucial to be left solely in the hands of politicians. The chapter will examine the securitization of climate change in the UN Security Council during 2017-2018. By analyzing the framing of the issue by Council members and the resonance of these frames with the audience, the research determines which frames are accepted and which are disregarded, shedding light on the securitization process. The findings indicate that the Security Council has unanimously securitized climate change as a regional issue but not a global one. While some members have attempted to push for further securitization, even the limited securitization of climate change on a smaller scale is a novel development for the Council.
TopPurpose And Questions
This chapter aims to fill the scientific gap and investigate whether the climate issue has been secured. To investigate this, the study wants to see how the climate issue is framed in securitizing contexts and how these frameworks have been received. In addition to ascertaining whether the issue has been secured, the investigation will also see what specific frameworks have led to it. The main questions are thus:
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How is the climate issue framed in the Security Council?
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What frameworks, if any, have been accepted by the Security Council?
Key Terms in this Chapter
Paris Agreement: An international treaty adopted in 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It sets out commitments for countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provides a framework for climate change adaptation and finance.
Global Goals for Sustainable Development: Also known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), they are a set of 17 interconnected goals adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015. The goals aim to address global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and promote sustainable development.
UN Security Council: One of the six main organs of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The Security Council has 15 member states, including five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) with veto power and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. It has the authority to discuss and act on various global issues, including conflicts, threats to peace, and emerging security challenges.
Securitization: The process by which an issue is transformed from a purely political matter into a security concern. It involves framing the issue as a threat to security, making it urgent and bypassing normal democratic processes to address it.
Regional Solutions: Refers to approaches and strategies that focus on addressing climate change impacts and challenges within specific geographic regions. It recognizes that certain climate-related issues and vulnerabilities are region-specific and require tailored responses. Regional solutions often involve collaboration and cooperation among neighboring countries or within specific regional frameworks to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Climate Change: Refers to long-term shifts and alterations in weather patterns, including temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and more, resulting from human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases. Climate change is a global phenomenon with significant environmental, social, and economic impacts.