Operationalising climate security in UN peace operations: Experience sharing from the UN Mission in South Sudan
When: 8 October 2024 | 15:30-16:40
Format: Roundtable discussion
Venue: Breakout room 4 (Rathenau-Saal)
Hosted by: the United Nations Mission In South Sudan (UNMISS) and Norwegian Capacity to International Operations (NORCAP)
In the past years, the mandates of several UN peace operations and UN special political missions for the first time included language recognising the adverse effects of climate change on mandated tasks such as protection of civilians, supporting peace processes, and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid. The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has one of the most elaborated mandates on climate security. Since 2023 one Senior Climate and Security Advisor and two Climate Security Experts form the Climate, Peace and Security Unity (CPSU) as part of the Civil Affairs Division (CAD). These posts are all supported by direct member state contributions and gratis personnel secondments.
It is the first time in the history of UN peacekeeping and a unicum in currently active missions that a full climate security team is deployed. This session will focus on climate security risks in South Sudan and how UNMISS is operationalising its climate, peace and security mandate. It will focus on sharing examples and experiences from the field, existing challenges and gaps, as well as opportunities to further mainstream climate, peace and security in UN peace operations.
NORCAP supports the deployment of two UNMISS climate, peace and security experts, as well as a broader range of expert profiles within the broader UN systems and UN peace operations.
Speakers:
- Lucas Destrijcker, Climate Change and Security Expert, United Nations Mission In South Sudan (UNMISS)
- Mirjam Sørli, Manager, UN Reform and Peacebuilding, NORCAP, part of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
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