UN Secretary-General urges urgent action to address deadly nexus of climate, hunger and conflict

In a compelling address to the United Nations Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the escalating threats posed by climate change and food insecurity to global peace and security. 

He outlined the severe consequences of the dual crises, describing a grim scenario where a global food crisis and climate chaos converge to create a "hellscape of hunger and heartache" for the world's most vulnerable populations. Last year, marked as the hottest ever recorded, signifies the accelerated pace of the climate crisis, further undermining peace.

The Secretary-General drew attention to the intimate connection between hunger and conflict, citing the Portuguese saying, “In a house with no bread, everyone argues, and no one is right.” Conflict and climate disasters intensify inequalities, imperil livelihoods and force mass displacement, creating a fertile ground for unrest and competition, he asserted.

Guterres highlighted the disproportionate impact on women and girls, who often bear the brunt of both food shortages and climate disasters. Conflict and climate change, he argued, are the primary drivers of the global food crisis, with wars displacing people, destroying agriculture, and contributing to deliberate policies of denial.

The devastation is palpable in conflict-ridden regions like Syria, Myanmar, and Gaza, where hunger compounds the existing challenges. Climate disasters add an extra layer of complexity in places like Haiti, Ethiopia, and the Sahel, where rising temperatures contribute to conflict, drying up water resources and ruining agricultural lands.

Guterres warned of a looming resurgence of food inflation globally as droughts disrupt critical supply routes like the Panama Canal. He emphasised that without immediate action, conflicts will multiply, emissions will continue to rise, and acute food insecurity will worsen.

The Secretary-General proposed a comprehensive approach to breaking the deadly links between conflict, climate, and food insecurity:

• Adherence to International Humanitarian Law: Guterres urged all parties to conflicts to abide by international humanitarian law, highlighting that the Security Council has a critical role in ensuring compliance
• Full funding for humanitarian operations: He called for full funding of humanitarian operations to prevent disaster and conflict from exacerbating hunger, pointing out that operations were less than 40 per cent funded the previous year
• Conflict resolution and sustainable development: Guterres stressed the need to address exclusion, inequalities, and poverty to prevent conflict. He called for turbocharging progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals
• Transformation of food systems: Massive investment in just, equitable, and sustainable food systems was deemed essential, aligning climate action with the goal of zero hunger
• Climate crisis mitigation: Guterres urged G20 nations to lead a just global phase-out of fossil fuels and emphasised the importance of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius
• Action on finance: The Secretary-General called for a Sustainable Development Goal Stimulus of $500 billion a year in affordable, long-term finance for sustainable development and climate action

The Secretary-General stressed the urgent need for cooperation, partnerships and policies that address the interconnected threats of climate change, food insecurity and international peace and security. 

He urged the Security Council to consider effective strategies and make use of existing mechanisms, such as the United Nations Climate Security Mechanism and the Convergence Initiative.

In a subsequent press meet, Guterres expressed deep concern about the deteriorating conditions and security for humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza. He highlighted the breakdown in public order, restrictions imposed by Israel limiting humanitarian distribution, and the ineffectiveness of deconflicting mechanisms. His sincere hope, he added, is for successful negotiations to release hostages and establish a cessation of hostilities, preventing an all-out offensive over Rafah.

Lastly, Guterres expressed deep distress at the targeting of journalists in the conflict, highlighting the fundamental importance of freedom of the press for people to understand the realities of the situation on the ground.

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