Climate Change in the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and Fund

Although climate change is reshaping the international security landscape, the international community still lacks a clear vision as to what roles different parts of the UN can and should play in preventing climate-fragility risks and building resilience against them. In order to address the security implications of climate change, institutions and actors in the development, humanitarian, climate change adaptation and peacebuilding fields all have important roles to play: they can increase the resilience of states and societies to a whole range of shocks, pressures and risks, which include climate, conflict and fragility risks.

This policy paper focuses on two institutions that are integral parts of the UN peacebuilding architecture, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). The PBC is an intergovernmental body that supports peacebuilding in countries that are emerging from conflict and advises the General Assembly and the Security Council. The UN Secretary General’s PBF is the UN’s financial instrument of first resort to sustain peace in countries or situations at risk or affected by violent conflict.

The aim of the paper is twofold: 1) to show how climate change is impacting efforts to build and sustain peace, and 2) to provide concrete recommendations on how climate change could be better integrated into the PBC’sand PBF’s works.

For further information, please visit the Climate Security Expert Network (CSEN) website.