Climate security is a new perspective on climate work. Climate security consists of mitigating and adapting to climate change. Adaptation is urgently needed everywhere in society, as extreme weather resulting from climate change are increasing at an accelerating rate and have a direct impact on regional development and the future of industries.

What is climate security and why is it important?

Climate security combines climate crisis and climate emergency. Climate crisis is a term describing global warming and climate change, and their impacts. This term and the term climate emergency have been used to describe the threat of global warming to humanity and the planet, and to urge climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Climate change threatens the stability and security of society in many ways, and its effects will only intensify in the coming decades. Both the changing climate and strong mitigation and adaptation efforts create new uncertainties and risks.

Climate change can exacerbate food, water, health and livelihood insecurity, with cascading effects such as increased competition over natural resources, social disruptions, and displacement. This can lead to increased tensions, conflict, and instability in a country or region.

Climate change is not only a threat to the future of our planet, it is already driving humanitarian crises around the world. Climate security refers also to the impacts of the climate crisis on peace and security, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Climate change affects also the way that our economy functions. This happens as a result of two types of risk:

• the physical risks of a changing climate, including more frequent or severe weather events like flooding, droughts and storms
• the transition risks from moving towards a carbon-neutral economy

A new approach to managing climate-related risks is needed.

For more information, please contact Mr. Jyri Wuorisalo, jyri.wuorisalo@savonia.fi