Climate Security at the 79th UN General Assembly and Climate Week: What to Watch

The briefing highlights three priority areas for the 79th UN General Assembly and Climate Week: the High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise, climate finance negotiations, and the Summit of the Future. It emphasizes the security implications of sea-level rise for Pacific Island states, the critical funding gap for developing nations facing debt crises, and the potential for the 'Pact for the Future' to address the climate-security nexus in UN peace operations.

• Sea-level rise poses severe security risks to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with NASA estimating a global rise of 15 to 30 centimeters by 2050. This threatens infrastructure, food and water security, and indigenous cultures, while potentially forcing the US to increase humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific.
• Climate-driven shifts in fish stocks are creating potential conflict hotspots in the Central Pacific, Gulf of Guinea, and the Arctic. Estimates suggest 23% of all fish stocks will move in the next 7 years, impacting maritime boundaries and exclusive economic zones.
• Developing countries face a widening climate finance gap, with net financial flows from international financial institutions falling by approximately $40 billion between 2022 and 2023. While the current commitment is US$100 billion per year, some reports suggest developing countries require $1 trillion annually to meet climate and development goals.
• The Summit of the Future's proposed 'Pact for the Future' includes actions to address the climate and security nexus within UN peace operations and calls for the urgent implementation of financial commitments to conflict-affected and developing countries to build resilience.

APA

The Council on Strategic Risks (2024). Climate Security at the 79th UN General Assembly and Climate Week: What to Watch. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/09/17/climate-security-at-the-79th-un-general-assembly-and-climate-week-what-to-watch/

Chicago

The Council on Strategic Risks. Climate Security at the 79th UN General Assembly and Climate Week: What to Watch. 2024. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/09/17/climate-security-at-the-79th-un-general-assembly-and-climate-week-what-to-watch/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=The Council on Strategic Risks |title=Climate Security at the 79th UN General Assembly and Climate Week: What to Watch |date=17 September 2024 |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/09/17/climate-security-at-the-79th-un-general-assembly-and-climate-week-what-to-watch/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thecouncilonstrategicrisks2024climate, author = {{The Council on Strategic Risks}}, title = {{Climate Security at the 79th UN General Assembly and Climate Week: What to Watch}}, institution = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/09/17/climate-security-at-the-79th-un-general-assembly-and-climate-week-what-to-watch/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }