Topic- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
8) Declaring Climate Change as an international security issue is the best approach to handle the issue. Comment.(250 words)
Why this question
India has questioned the rush at the UN to declare climate change an international security issue. It is therefore important to analyze and discuss upon the issue in detail.
Directive word
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to express our opinion as to whether there is a need to declare climate change as an international security issue, what repercussions it will have and whether it will be the best way to solve the issue of climate change. We can form our opinion in favour of or against the statement but we have to substantiate our opinion with proper arguments and facts.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– Write a few introductory lines about the issue. E.g mention the UN idea being recently mulled about designating climate change as an international security issue.
Body-
Discuss the pitfalls of such decision being implemented, and why climate change can’t be handled by such an approach. E.g
- the trends of heat waves, heavier rains, higher sea levels and severe damage to agriculture “represent a security risk for the entire world.”
- But a “mere decision of the Council” to take over enforcement of climate change action will disrupt the Paris Agreement and multilateral efforts to find solutions
- “The relationship between climate-related risks and conflict is complex and often intersects with political, social, economic and demographic factors,”
- The decision would extend UN’s reach beyond what is allocated in the UN Charter by redefining other issues, even as it struggles to fulfil its primary functions.
- It would lead to shifting climate law-making from the inclusive UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) to decision-making by a structurally unrepresentative institution with an exclusionary approach decided in secretive deliberations.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.