United Nations sources

Security Council Holds First-Ever Debate on Impact of Climate Change on Peace, Security, Hearing Over 50 Speakers, Security Council, SC/9000, Department of Public Information, United Nations, 17 April 2007

United Nations, Security Council, 5663rd meeting, Tuesday, 17 April 2007, 10 a.m. New York, S/PV.5663

Statements by the President and Representatives of other states.

United Nations, Security Council, 5663rd meeting, S/PV.5663, Tuesday, 17 April 2007, 3 p.m. New York, S/PV.5663 (Resumption 1)

Statements by the President and Representatives of other states.

Government sources

United Kingdom: Energy, Security and Climate – Security Council open debate: UK concept paper, United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations, 28 March 2007

Japan: Statement by Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, Permanent Representative of Japan, at the Security Council Open Debate on Energy, Security And Climate

Group of 77 and China: Statement On Behalf Of Group Of 77, China by Mr. Farukh Amil, Deputy Permanent Representative of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan to the United Nations, in the Security Council Open Debate on “Energy, Security And Climate” (New York, 17 April 2007)

European Union: Statement on behalf of the European Union, by the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, “Energy, Security and Climate”, in the UN Security Council, New York

United States: Remarks in the UN Security Council Open Debate on Energy, Security and Climate, New York City Alejandro D. Wolff, Acting U.S. Permanent Representative, April 17, 2007

Australia: Statement by H.E. the Hon. Robert Hill, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, Open debate on energy, security and climate, United Nations Security Council,17 April 2007

Singapore: Statement by Amb Vanu Gopala Menon, at the UNSC Open Debate on the Relationship Between Energy, Security and Climate, 17 April 2007

Federated States of Micronesia: Statement by Mr. Jeem Lippwe, Charge d’Affaires a.i., FSM Permanent Mission to the UN, at the UN Security Council “open debate exploring the relationship between energy, security and climate”, New York, 17 April 2007

Tuvalu: Statement Delivered by His Excellency, Mr. Afelee F Pita, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Tuvalu to the United Nations at the Special Session of the Security Council on Energy, Climate and Security, Tuesday 17th April 2007

Analysis and commentary

Global warming an issue for UN Security Council, New Scientist and Reuters, 17 April 2007

Climate Change:  Legitimacy of Security Council Meeting Challenged, Thalif Deen, IPS, 17 April 2007

“The legitimacy of a much-ballyhooed Security Council meeting on climate change was challenged by developing nations who argued that the threat to the global environment is not a subject within the purview of the U.N.’s most powerful political body. Speaking on behalf of China and the 130-member Group of 77 (G77) developing countries, Ambassador Farukh Amil of Pakistan told delegates Tuesday that the G77 has consistently maintained that the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ‘is the appropriate forum’ to consider risks associated with that phenomenon. There was ‘no role’ envisaged for the Security Council on climate change, he declared. Despite a letter of protest from the G77 Monday, the Council decided to go ahead with an open debate on ‘Energy, Security and Climate.’”

Discussing Global Warming in the Security Council: Premature and a Distraction from More Pressing Crises, Brett D. Schaefer and Ben Lieberman, The Heritage Foundation,  April 16, 2007.

The Security Council should not be deliberating global warming. The purpose of the Security Council is clearly laid out in the U.N. Charter, which confers on the Security Council “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.”[17] The security implications of climate change are speculative at this point and, even if they result as predicted, would not pose an immediate threat for decades. The projected threats of global warming do not rise to the level of Security Council consideration. The decision to raise the issue in the Council is troubling considering that such a step is often a prelude to a Council decision or resolution. A Council decision is the sole venue capable of compelling states to adopt actions to address global warming[18]—something that should not be contemplated without greater certainty and evidence of urgency. While it is possible that the consequences of global warming may one day become a threat to international peace and security, the science and predicted outcomes remain subject to considerable uncertainty, and the proposed solutions raise problems of their own. Until these uncertainties are resolved, global warming will not be ripe for Security Council deliberation. The resources and attention of the Council are better spent on pressing crises.

Climate Change: A Security (Council) Issue?, Francesco Sindico, Carbon and Climate Law Review, Vol. 1, pp. 26-31, 2007. 

 See also

• Climate change and security – analysis and policy, Nautilus Institute