Climate change- Existential threat to humanity

                            

The idea of security is relative and varies among individuals, communities, nation-states, regions, and internationally. Security is a dynamic feature and keeps changing/evolving/readjusting according to the change in the international arena and newly emerging threats. However, given the dominance of traditional mainstream realist discourse of security that focused on self-help, anarchic international order, states as referent and their military as threat objects and sees others as ‘potential threat’ is a major reason why we have a relative notion of security. This notion is very limited but still dominates the field of security. Therefore, non-traditional threats of security are not given the adequate attention they deserve. However, security involves ambiguity, relativity, and indeterminacy as its scope keeps deepening and widening over the period of time and because it encompasses anything that impacts human well-being and is guided by both emancipatory logic (acquired eventually, relatively new) and survival instinct (dominant/mainstream/traditional)

This blog is inspired by the recent events that have impacted the planet in profound ways. Wildfires in California, Turkey, and Australia, Syrian refugee crisis, Covid pandemic, several endemics in Africa, frequent earthquakes and South African water crisis and historically, how historical fertile crescent underwent desertification.

 Currently, Climate change is the most threatening security issue that humanity is faced with given our economies and social systems are embedded in the biosphere are at the brink of collapse. GHGs (Greenhouse gas emissions) as part of the Carbon economy run by big fossil fuel industries have shaken the foundation of survival on the biosphere as we have crossed several planetary boundaries set up as thresholds not to be crossed. It is a global and systemic threat which means it poses the threat to the survival of people and societies all over the world.

 

Given the systemic nature of the threat referent object here is Biosphere/ Planetary order. International organizations and nation-states, IGOs, NGOs as part of global climate governance try and ensure the security of biodiversity, people, and communities inhabiting the planet. Also, since all our economies and social systems are also embedded in the biosphere, therefore everything as part of this planetary order is a referent object whom we try to protect from the consequences of climate change. However, small island nation-states, tribal communities, and young/future generations are at greater risk given the higher likelihood of occurrence and magnitude of loss to them.

Threat objects from whom global climate governance try to protect people, societies, and biodiversity include extreme weather events and natural disaster that manifest in several forms ranging from flood, earthquake, drought, heat waves, wildfires, and many others. These threaten the very existence, survival, and life on the planet and have to be urgently addressed.

It aggravates other threats as well given the interlinkages and embeddedness of economies and societies into the biosphere. It does so by shaking the foundation/ basis to sustain these. No threat or security issue’s not related to the security issue of climate change (directly or indirectly). It impacts the ecosystem, natural resource availability, economies, economic activities/growth, employment that might create the potential threat of war, civil war, ethnic conflict, terrorism, refugee crisis, youth disillusionment, social unrest along energy/ food insecurity.

However, there are various means at the disposal of various levels (both national government and global governance) to destabilize and halt the carbon economy and focus to promote green/ renewable energy. They do so through entering multilateralism mechanisms/deals. Nation-states, NGOs, and IGOs coming together via international institutions and organizations to pledge to limit Carbon/GHG emissions and waste from entering the common atmosphere, oceans and prevent disruption in biodiversity interlinkages. They share monetary and technological resources at their disposal through IFIs. Also, by halting activities of the Carbon economy and big fossil fuel industries by regulating them through agreements and deals. National governments through law & order, policy-making, and acts try to prevent it. However, in the case of natural disasters, humanitarian aid & assistance and funds try to compensate them. Natural disaster relief/rescue/response force (NDRF) helps in relocating and rehabilitating and securing them. Also, the provision of food, health, safety, housing, and health are taken care of through various relief programs. I.Os like- UN and Other countries capable of helping send help in terms of NDRF, food, clothes, relief fund, aid, etc.

The security providers/protectors regarding this planetary threat are international organizations like- the UN, UNFCCC, and National governments, IGOs, and NGOs.

The primary and initial objective regarding natural disasters is to ensure the survival (the relatively dominant and negative notion of security) of the biosphere/ecosystem thus also, people, communities, and biodiversity and eventually take up the safety aspect which is (relatively more positive and emancipatory) restoring economic activities.

The security providers/protectors regarding this planetary threat are I. Os like- UN, UNFCCC, and National governments, IGOs, and NGOs.

 Analyzing it from the perspective of the relativity of security is most apt since it helps us deal with the ambiguity, relativity, and indeterminacy of security through its analytical and schematic framework. There are various approaches, views, discourses, and perspectives to security which makes it mandatory to have a comprehensive framework that is critical inclusive, informed, and represents these diverse approaches to security. It helps scholars to precisely understand, define, study, describe the given security issue by narrowing down the focus. With categorization and available knowledge about stakeholders, it’s easy for informed policymakers to find a solution, make policies and provide security.

References-

1. Krause, K., & Williams, M. (2018). Security and “security studies.” The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 13–28. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198777854.013.2

2.Gheciu, A., & Wohlforth, W. C. (2018). The Future of Security Studies. The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 2–13. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198777854.013.1

3.Neumann, I. B., & Sending, O. J. (2018). Expertise and practice. The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 28–40. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198777854.013.3 

4. IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S. L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M. I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T. K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press. In Press

5. United Nations Environment Programme (2021). Making Peace with Nature: A scientific blueprint to tackle the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies. Nairobi. https://www.unep.org/resources/making-peace-natur