Localisation of Climate-Security Risk Assessment: Developing a Guidance Note as a Resource for Sustaining Peace

In response to the growing challenges of climate security, in 2018 the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) joined forces to establish the Climate Security Mechanism (CSM). Since then, the CSM has developed a toolbox that provides a broad framework for a holistic and systematic approach to climate security.

Recognizing that climate-related security risks are highly context-specific, with varied impacts across regions, countries, and communities, and therefore requiring integrated analysis and responses, the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), Plataforma CIPÓ and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have partnered to develop a Guidance Note for localising climate security risks. The guidance note builds on the work of the CSM, further integrating climate security risk assessment at the community/ local level, enabling a user-friendly approach led by the local communities, and enhancing local ownership and active participation.

The Guidance Note will provide practical avenues and suggestions for considerations of local climate and security experts in specific contexts on how to: 

1. design and conduct integrated local climate security risk assessments based on locally determined and intersecting indicators related to climate risks and risks to conflict and fragility
2. communicate findings to relevant local, national and regional stakeholders responsible for prevention and risk management.

Purpose: This expert-level informal dialogue will bring together climate security experts to provide feedback on and validate the draft Guidance Note and exchange existing methodologies and tested practical experiences in localisation of climate security risk assessment, prevention and early warning. The discussion will help to understand the relevance of the Guidance Note and to improve methodological approaches that underpin local climate risk assessment, prevention and early warning practices, ahead of the launch of the report in various countries. The Guidance Note, when finalised, will be a resource for climate security experts to promote and build on local resilience and support communities in their work of addressing climate security concerns. 

RSVP: Please kindly RSVP to un.liaison@gppac.net by 18 April 2022