Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Guyana unveils major report at UN Security Council on the impact of war on climate and food security
Kaieteur News – Following a high-level debate on Tuesday at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the impact of war and conflict on the environment, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali presented a comprehensive report on the said subject for stakeholders to review. Notably, the debate that was led by President Ali was one of the signature events Guyana held to mark its one-month handling of the presidency for the peace-keeping body.
In the President’s message which forms part of the report, he said the study is divided primarily into four sections: the first examines the overall effects of armed conflict, the second analyses the effects of conflict on food security, the third extends this analysis to the environment, and the fourth provides case studies of the effects of conflict in Haiti, Vietnam, Iraq and Ukraine.
Ali said the study finds that global food insecurity is exacerbated by conflict, climate change, and economic shocks. He said it highlights the significant increase in acute food insecurity due to armed conflict, with millions facing difficulties in accessing nutritious food.
Importantly, the President said war and conflict threaten several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Zero Hunger (SDG2), Good Health and Well-Being (SDG3), and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG16).
Since 1800, it is estimated that 37 million persons have perished due to conflict which has also led to the forcible displacement of persons. His message also referenced the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) which estimated that as of September 2023, a total of 114 million persons were displaced. In less than four months, the UNHCR stated that 85 per cent of the population of Gaza had been displaced because of the conflict with Israel.
The President was also keen to note that the economic cost of war is substantial, with 10 affected countries alone incurring losses equivalent to 41% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019. “The effects of armed conflicts are further compounded by climate events like droughts and floods that devastate food supplies and inflict environmental costs,” said Ali.
With respect to food insecurity, he said this is further exacerbated by war, noting that approximately 60% of the 155 million stunted children worldwide reside in conflict affected countries. “A total of 117 million persons also faced acute food insecurity due to armed conflict,” he added.
Over the past decade, President Ali said the rise in conflict events has undermined progress in improving food security and nutrition, with millions at risk of famine in conflict-affected regions.
With respect to the environment, he noted that conflicts, such as those in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, have profoundly harmed the environment through extensive military operations, resulting in significant greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, which adversely affect civilian health. “The environmental toll of warfare extends globally, with the U.S. Department of Defense ranking as the world’s largest institutional consumer of oil and a top greenhouse gas emitter,” said the Head of State. In 2019 alone, Ali said the U.S. military emitted 59 million tons of CO2, with the war in Iraq generating over 141 million tons of CO2 emissions in four years – the equivalent of CO2 emission from 25 million cars in one year.
“These findings underscore the significant contribution of global military activities to greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the urgent need for environmental considerations in conflict resolution and military operations,” said President Ali.
With the foregoing points further elucidated in the study, he said it therefore makes a compelling case as to why organs such as the United Nations Security Council should pay greater attention to the human, social and economic dimensions of conflict between and within States.
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