United Nations Security Council (UNSC) draft resolution on climate change
Recently India has voted against the draft resolution of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Climate Change.
- The draft resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General to integrate climate-related security risks as a central component in comprehensive conflict-prevention strategies.
- The resolution calls for a suitable discussion on climate change. The resolution portrays climate as an issue threatening international peace and security.
- For example, climate change has affected people’s lives. There has even been an escalation in conflicts in other parts of Africa.
- However, India, China and Russia have opposed it, and voted against it.
Reasons for protest:
- Many UNSC members are major contributors to climate change due to historical emissions. If the Security Council takes responsibility on this issue, then only a few countries will have full freedom to decide on all climate-related issues.
- There is already a UN panel called the ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’ (UNFCCC) to organize climate-related dialogue with the wider international community.
- It sends a wrong message to developing countries that their concerns are not being addressed and developed countries are not being held accountable for meeting their commitments under the UNFCCC.
- Thus, climate change negotiations can be neglected under the guise of security.
- This would undermine the hard-won consensus in Glasgow, as it could lead to disputes among several UN members.
About UNSC: Its headquarter is located in New York and its primary responsibility is to maintain international peace and security.
Composition: 15 members (5 permanent and 10 temporary).
Permanent members: China, France, Russia, Britain and America.
Non-Permanent Members: Members elected by the General Assembly for a term of 2 years.
India began its two-year term as a non-permanent member in January 2021 (India’s 8th term). Although other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to member states, the decision-making power lies with the Security Council only.
Source – The Hindu
