Mr. Special Adviser,
Excellences,
Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to this high-level policy forum that the Mission of Italy has organized in partnership with the International Peace Institute and Security Council Report on the issue of climate change, and in particular on the impact of climate change on international peace and security.
I am sure that today’s event can effectively contribute to the ongoing debate with its high-level panelists including the SG’s Special Representative on 2030 Agenda and Climate Change, David Nabarro, my colleagues from New Zealand, H.E. Mr. Gerard VAN BOHEMEN and Maldives, H.E. Mr. Ahmed SAREER, leading academic experts in the sector, such as Professor Gerrard and Ms. Raghav.
It should, in my hopes, guide us to understand and to gauge the link between climate change and security, on the one hand, and on the other hand set off the stage for possible policy guidelines in the months and years to come.
We all know that climate change impacts on all countries’ political, social and economic life. Yet we must consider climate change as a serious challenge to international peace and security. Links between climate change and growing insecurity scenarios have been observed in the past, starting with a well-known article by Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon in 2007, analyzing some African conflicts.
Today we put our focus on SIDS countries, which are extremely vulnerable to climate change.
Italy has a long-standing interest in endeavoring to understand and counter climate change. We have been pioneers in establishing partnerships with many Member States, especially the most vulnerable ones, to promote climate change adaptation, the development of sustainable energy including renewable energy sources, early warning and disaster risk reduction. And we also boast a long-time expertise in devising strategies and technological instruments to tackle the ongoing rise in oceans’ and seas’ levels, which heavily impacts on SIDS, also building on our own national experience, being Italy’s costal line close to 8000 km.
We are hence committed to addressing the rising challenges that climate change poses to the global security scenario, as we believe that climatic phenomena – draughts, floods, cyclones – can worsen instable situations or be a concurrent cause in triggering a conflict, also impacting on food security.
Thank you all again for your participation!
