Security Council Involvement in Mitigating Adverse Impacts of Climate Change

The impacts of climate change pose a potential threat to peace as defined in the United Nations Charter. Currently, there are few concrete examples of violent conflicts directly induced by climate change, and our understanding of future projections remains limited. Many researchers contend that it is not climate change itself that precipitates conflict, but rather issues such as poor governance of water resources that serve as the primary drivers. This paper examines the competency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in addressing the effects of climate change to either mitigate the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. Various recommendations have been proposed for the UNSC in its dealings with the adverse impacts of climate change. These include refraining from involvement, adopting coercive measures, resorting to military force, ending impunity for environmental crimes, requesting advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), imposing sanctions, opting for non-response, and utilizing legislative competencies or authorizing measures. However, given the existence of multilateral climate treaties and other relevant forums, immediate action by the UNSC may be unnecessary. Additionally, the withdrawal of certain Permanent Members from the Paris Agreement complicates the Council's ability to advocate for compulsory actions in support of climate initiatives.