Women Peace and Climate Security in Asia and the Pacific

Abstract

Not only do climate change impacts pose pressing threats to human health and well-being, they also jeopardize peace and security, and force communities to redefine what these concepts mean to them. The environmental and geopolitical contexts of the Asia-Pacific region — including extensive coastlines, rapid urbanization and dependence on vulnerable natural resources — make it particularly susceptible to climate-related disasters. Further, as home to 10 of the 15 most climate change-affected countries globally, the climate crisis presents existential challenges in the region.

The effects of climate change, environmental degradation, and natural resource scarcity are increasingly
exacerbating insecurity and instability worldwide. These challenges affect security through various pathways: altered migration and displacement patterns; intensified competition over land, water, and natural resources; diminished food security; shifts in the blue economy; and threats to national sovereignty. In Asia and the Pacific, the concept of climate security extends beyond the potential
for violent conflicts, encompassing economic, political, and socio-cultural dimensions along the human security spectrum, which demands an equally comprehensive preventive approach.