Relevance: GS-2 : Important International Institutions, agencies and fora - their Structure, Mandate.

Key Phrases: UNSC, P5, Climate change, Sahel

Why in news?

• India joined Russia in opposing a draft proposal at the United Nations Security Council which would effectively bring climate change in the Security Council’s purview

Analysis:

What is proposal?

• The resolution was co-sponsored by Ireland and Niger and it was first proposed by Germany in the UNSC in 2020.
• The draft resolution sought to create a formal space in the Security Council for discussions on climate change and its implications on international security.
• Further, it asked UN field missions to regularly report on climate change assessments in their areas of operation and take the help of climate experts in carrying out their routine functions.
• India along with Russia opposed it

Why was a need felt for such proposal?

• Climate change-induced food or water shortage, loss of habitat or livelihood, or migration can exacerbate existing conflicts or even create new ones.
• It has been argued that climate change had an international security dimension.
• This can have implications for the UN field missions that are deployed across the world in peacekeeping efforts.
• Only after 2000 when the UNSC passed Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security that gender violence in conflict really entered the debate, and hoped they could do the same for climate.
• Securitising climate change may also help heighten public awareness and help surmounting opposition to addressing the issue.

About UNSC

• UNs Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
• The UNSC has been given primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security to the Security Council, which may meet whenever peace is threatened.
• While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to member states, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that member states are then obligated to implement under the Charter.
• Permanent and Non-Permanent Members: The UNSC is composed of 15 members, 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent.

Why is India opposing this?

• Declaring so potentially give the Security Council the right to take action on it. A “mere decision of the Council” to take over enforcement of climate change action will disrupt the Paris Agreement and multilateral efforts to find solutions.
• UNSC may not also be suitable to lead a global response to a problem that requires collaboration of all countries and stakeholders. A security approach to a critical challenge facing humanity may in fact hinder the global collective effort.
• A securitised approach could also end up pitting countries into a competition when the most productive approach is cooperation.
• Thinking in security terms usually engenders overly militarised solutions to problems, which inherently require non-military responses to resolve. It brings the wrong actors to the table.
• UNFCCC must remain the appropriate forum for addressing all climate change-related issues, and claimed the Security Council does not have the expertise to do so.
• Unlike UNFCCC, where decisions are taken by consensus of all the 190-plus countries, the UNSC would enable climate change decision-making by a handful of developed countries
• Historic pollutants: Many of the UNSC members were the primary contributors to climate change due to historical emissions.

Way ahead

• Climate change is not a threat to international peace and security and should only be discussed in specific cases where it is a risk factor
• However, enough attention needs to be given as World Economic Forum has ranked extreme weather, natural disasters, climate change and water crises as the top four existential threats in its new Global Risks Report 2019
• Collecting stronger evidence base so good practices on climate risk prevention and management can be replicated in the field.
• Building and reinforcing partnerships to leverage existing capacities within and outside the UN system.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. The global climate change framework primarily dominated by the developed countries is not even serving their own vested interests. Do you agree? Are initiatives like International Solar Alliance (ISA) a sign of changing world order? (15 Marks, 250 Words).