UN / CLIMATE AND SECURITY

A top United Nations official told the Security Council that the climate emergency “is a danger to peace,” as climate change exacerbates existing risks of conflict “and creates new ones.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:43
• Production Date: 24 July 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: HEIKO MAAS; MIROSLAV JENCA
• Corporate Name: DEPARTMENT OF PEACE OPERATIONS - DPO; SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: CLIMATE CHANGE; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: NIGER; NIGERIA; SAHEL
• MAMS Id: 2552057
• Parent Id: 2552057
• Alternate Title: unifeed200724c

Description

STORY: UN / CLIMATE AND SECURITY
TRT: 2:43
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 24 JULY 2020, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Aerial shot, exterior UN Headquarters

24 JULY 2020, NEW YORK CITY

2. Multiple screens
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations:
“The climate emergency is a danger to peace. There is no automatic link between climate change and conflict. But climate change does exacerbate existing risks and creates new ones.”
4. Multiple screens
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations:
“Around the world, fragile or conflict-affected situations are more exposed and less able to cope with the effects of climate change. It is no coincidence that 7 of the 10 countries most vulnerable and least prepared to deal with climate change host a peacekeeping operation or special political mission.”
6. Multiple screens
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations:
“We must remain vigilant and summon the courage to adapt our established approaches to ensure they are fit for a climate-changed world. And above all, we must translate words into action.”
8. Multiple screens
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Colonel Mahamadou Seydou Magagi, Director, Centre National d’Études Stratégiques et de Sécurité, Niger:
“It is not surprising that in Niger, lots of conflicts between rural people occur between farmers and herders. Farmers and herders’ competition is worsening in central Mali and northern Nigeria with a growing death toll. Considering future weather forecasts for the region and keeping in mind that the Sahel has one of the highest population growth rates in the word - approximately three percent a year - this competition is definitely to increase.”
10. Multiple screens
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Germany:
“The fight against climate change should not divide us. We fight it to save ourselves. And we fight it for the people around the world who are already facing violence and displacement as a result of climate change. They cannot afford to wait. And therefore, ladies and gentlemen, the time for diplomatic patience is over. This Council cannot negotiate with the realities of nature. Action is all that counts.”
12. Multiple screens

Storyline

A top United Nations official today (24 Jul) said the climate emergency “is a danger to peace,” as climate change exacerbates existing risks of conflict “and creates new ones.”

Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Miroslav Jenča, said, “around the world, fragile or conflict-affected situations are more exposed and less able to cope with the effects of climate change,” and highlighted that “7 of the 10 countries most vulnerable and least prepared to deal with climate change host a peacekeeping operation or special political mission.”

Jenča outlined a set of actions for the Council to implement, including leveraging new technologies to generate long-term climate foresight and actionable, near term analysis; learning from those who experience daily the consequences of climate change on their security; and strengthening multi-dimensional partnerships.

He said, “we must remain vigilant and summon the courage to adapt our established approaches to ensure they are fit for a climate-changed world. And above all, we must translate words into action.”

Also briefing the Council, the Director of Niger’s Centre National d’Études Stratégiques et de Sécurité, Colonel Mahamadou Seydou Magagi, said “farmers and herders’ competition is worsening in central Mali and northern Nigeria with a growing death toll.”

Seydou Magagi said, “considering future weather forecasts for the region and keeping in mind that the Sahel has one of the highest population growth rates in the word - approximately three percent a year - this competition is definitely to increase.”

For his part, Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said, “the fight against climate change should not divide us. We fight it to save ourselves. And we fight it for the people around the world who are already facing violence and displacement as a result of climate change. They cannot afford to wait. And therefore, ladies and gentlemen, the time for diplomatic patience is over. This Council cannot negotiate with the realities of nature. Action is all that counts.”

Germany holds the presidency of the Council for the month of July and convened today’s meeting