Mashable: The announcement was made at a UN Security Council ministerial open debate in New York, USA, where the UAE is currently presiding over the council.

The UAE is taking a bold step to address the link between climate change and global security. The country’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment announced that the UAE will host a special day at the upcoming COP28 Climate Change Conference to highlight the impact of climate change on peace and security.

As per Khaleej Times, the announcement was made at a UN Security Council ministerial open debate in New York, U.SA, where the UAE is currently presiding over the council. The debate focused on how climate change affects the roles and responsibilities of UN peacekeeping and special political missions. It also urged for collaborative and responsive approaches to tackle the urgent connections between climate change and international peace and security.

The minister, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, said that the ‘Relief, Recovery, and Peace’ Day will be the first of its kind at any COP. Its purpose is to propose practical solutions to prevent and address the climate burden on stability. She added that the UAE is promoting an ambitious agenda at COP28 to fill the critical gap of accessible, affordable, and sufficient climate finance for countries and communities experiencing humanitarian and security crises.

The discussion was attended by member states of the Security Council and prominent international figures, including Nobel Peace Laureate, and member of The Elders; Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; and Salma Kadry, Climate, Peace, and Security Specialist at CGIAR. They shared their valuable insights and diverse perspectives on the interplay between climate change, peace, and security.

Almheiri emphasized the crucial need to integrate climate considerations into UN mandates and peacekeeping operations. She highlighted the interconnectedness of climate change and conflict, stressing that the Security Council must approach conflicts through a lens that is sensitive to climate-related issues. Almheiri also underscored the importance of incorporating climate change into risk mitigation and adaptation strategies within relevant peace operations, while actively working towards conflict prevention and resolution.

The participants had an extensive discussion about the effects of climate change within the framework of the United Nations. They explored strategies to improve conflict prevention, promote peacebuilding initiatives, and enhance resilience. During the month of June 2023, the United Arab Emirates assumed the rotational presidency of the United Nations Security Council. Throughout its tenure, the U.A.E. has dedicated itself to giving utmost importance to the intricate matter of climate change and undertaking comprehensive efforts to address it.