Statement at the PR-Level Meeting of the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security (Hand-Over)

Thank you and a warm welcome to everyone. Since this is the first time that we are meeting as the Informal Group I share best wishes to everyone for the new year.

We are delighted that you could join us for the first meeting of the Group under the co-chairmanship of Kenya and Norway.

I especially welcome all the new Council members and observers. We look forward to enriching this important conversation collectively.

The link between weather and conflict is indeed age old. What is new is our diagnosis of the acceleration of the damaging impacts of climate change and its link to security in more recent years.

Added to that diagnosis is the framework, resources and priorities of climate change mitigation and adaptation as reflected in multiple agreements with the main one being the Paris Agreement.

Mitigation and adaptation undertakings that are structural are the most peace-positive. This is key in motivating pragmatic solutions. Adaptation programming that embraces the principle of do no harm in seeking to ensure that efforts do not add to local and national tensions and conflicts is paramount.

As you all know, the commendable effort to table a resolution on the nexus between climate and security in the Security Council by our former co-chairs, Niger and Ireland who are here with us today, were unfortunately halted.

Disappointing as it may be, Kenya and Norway will stand on this setback as a motivation to keep the torch burning on this topic. Our objective for 2022 is therefore to strive to ensure that the information, research and evidence being brought to the fore will prescribe climate and security challenges that incorporate and prioritise the following:

Win the confidence of the states in this endeavour by building on their national and regional efforts;

Engage with communities, particularly within the contexts of cooperative frameworks such as Peace Committees that are established at the local and grassroot levels;

Target climate change adaptation investment from the global, regional and national level to the efforts that are ongoing with the intention to scale impact. Also important is to identify other adaptation initiatives that can be launched with government, local communities and their existing cooperation frameworks.

Link the existing community of practice on weather and insecurity and local Peacebuilding with new initiatives on climate change research and action.

Grow the body of research, evidence and tools in search of adequate solutions to ensure that they are developed with local experts, institutions and states where the challenge is most felt;

Build on local knowledge and practices that are proven to work which will contribute to enhancing the resilience of communities against climate change effects;

Recognises the development agenda as the most important defence against climate change which should therefore be front and center in making an argument for action in the climate-security nexus.

Ensure that the nexus enjoys a more comprehensive science-policy interface with the work done by UNEP, characterized by consensus that enables clear commitments and actions.

On its part and given its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, it is our hope that with such fundamental considerations, we in the Security Council can take a pragmatic, consensus driven approach to addressing climate risks in conflict situations.

We will strive to encourage conversations in the Informal Expert Group throughout the year that will take into account these and other critical points.

In closing, I wish to reaffirm that as the 2022 co-chairs of the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security with Norway, we will do the utmost to enable discussions that embrace balance, consensus and ambition.

I thank you and we look forward to hearing from you all.

I now hand over the floor to our former co-chairs, Niger and Ireland to share their reflections of the IEG's work last year. Abarry and Geraldine you have the floor.

*** After former co-chairs have spoken ***

I thank Abarry and Geraldine for their insightful contributions and their steadfast efforts in steering the work of the IEG in 2021. I now give the floor to my fellow co-chair, Odd-Inge. Odd-Inge you have the floor.