Prepare the United Nations Security Council for the challenges of the 21st centurye century: this was the subject of the high-level debate which was held on Tuesday 23 February by videoconference between New York and the capitals of the members of the Council. This was for Britain, which is chairing the Council this month, to show the growing consensus around the idea that the climate emergency was a threat to collective security.
To get the message across, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson kept his speech simple and powerful, contrasting with the not concrete enough diplomatic speeches of the United Nations: too few of the general public manage to understand the direct correlation between climate crisis and conflict or insecurity . “I know some think that these are just green fads of a few tofu eaters who like to hug trees, inappropriate in politics and international diplomacy,” immediately dropped Boris Johnson. I couldn’t disagree more deeply. When are we going to do something if we don’t act now? ”
For him, it’s simple: climate change causes “16 million displaced people each year”, which encourages the enlistment of idle men in terrorist groups, human trafficking, as well as organized crime. Even if it affects Africa in particular, the effects are being felt everywhere – including Europe in particular. Many members of the Council, moreover, consider this observation acquired – and hammer it one after the other.
Emulation for COP26
The debate, if it could not lead to a resolution setting in stone the extent of the Council’s prerogatives, at least had the merit of showing China and Russia more and more isolated in their conservative positions. Both countries are reluctant to see the Security Council intervene in this area.
The UN estimates the number of “climate refugees” at 280 million in 2050
The special envoy on the Chinese climate, Xie Zhenhua, confined himself to declining the measures taken by Beijing to fight against climate change, refraining from establishing any political link. It was its ally, Vietnam, which clarified that in any case, the Council could not exceed its prerogatives to undermine the sovereignty of countries. As for Moscow, it was the only one, Tuesday, not to send a senior government representative to the debate, showing a certain disinterest.
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