Fiji joined 113 member states of the United Nations who called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to integrate climate resilience into UN’s work in advancing international peace and security.
This was highlighted at the UNSC open debate on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Security in the context of Terrorism and Climate Change.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his remarks to the UN Security Council reiterated that the Security Council and all Member States must work simultaneously on peacebuilding and mitigating the impact of climate change.
UNSG Guterres affirmed that climate emergency is the vital issue of our time and although some progress was made at the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), the objectives are far from being reached.
He stated that we have “to continue our efforts to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C alive, and we are in a race against the clock, and no one is safe from the destructive effects of climate disruption”.
In addressing the UNSC, Fiji’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador Satyendra Prasad called for collective action by the UNSC and the UN system “to holistically respond to climate crisis, which impacts the peace, security and stability”.
Ambassador Prasad said that, “How the Security Council takes forward the advice of so many member states in the General Assembly will shape, how well and how substantively the world can respond to growing and more diverse threats to peace and security within regions and between states.”
He echoed the sentiments of Blue Pacific leaders, that “climate change is the single gravest threat to the livelihoods, security, and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific”.
Ambassador Prasad called on UNSC to speedily adopt the resolution on climate and security.
“When you do so, you will be telling our communities and peoples who face constant relocation that this Security Council is also theirs”.
“All dimensions of human security including the right to live peacefully in their own homelands are part of our peace and security perspective. We have been saying that climate change is the most persistent and gravest threat to peace and security in our regions not from today; or yesterday but for the better part of 3 decades,” Ambassador Prasad said.
He said it’s important for those responsible for the climate crisis to live up to their commitments and provide consistent support through climate financing for adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage for those living in regions where the climate crisis is fuelling growing conflict and insecurity.
With the historic climate and security resolution having the broad support of the 113 countries, Fiji will continue to build partnerships for realisation of global climate ambition.