Climate Change is an Economic and a Security Issue

Economic and security concerns impel us to act on climate change. Science and common sense demand that we develop an effective strategy for dealing with climate change.

Climate change is inseparably connected to energy security, food security and water security. Failure to tackle it undermines relations between nations, intensifies competition for resources and leads to conflict and war.

Without an effective response to climate change, our security is under threat and our economies will suffer. If left unchecked climate change will cost trillions of dollars and threaten life as we know it.

Everyone, everywhere, will be affected and the poorest will suffer most. The overarching impact of climate change makes it one of the most pressing security issues of our times.

An effective response demands a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. It is therefor imperative that both developed and developing nations take action together.

A series of UN sponsored conferences are striving to meet the challenges of climate change security. Two of the most important UN efforts this year are the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16) and the 6th Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 6). They are both taking place between November 29 and December 10, 2010.