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Advancing Gender, Climate, and Security in the UN Security Council

Event Details

March 13, 2025

Event Overview

Thursday, March 13, 2025

  The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security launched two new reports on climate and security at a high-level event hosted by the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations and the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C. on the sidelines of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.  The reports aim to advance the intersection of gender, climate, and security–one of the priority themes for the Danish Government during its presidency of the UN Security Council this month. The studies outline concrete actions to integrate climate considerations into the UN WPS architecture and National Action Plans and were supported by the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C. “Denmark is committed to advancing both the WPS Agenda and the Climate, Peace, and Security Agenda. We believe these agendas should not be handled in silos,” said Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations. “Climate change and gender inequality are more intertwined than we often acknowledge.”

Advancing Gender, Climate, and Security in the UN Security Council: A Blueprint for Action

The report “Advancing Gender, Climate, and Security in the UN Security Council: A Blueprint for Action,” authored by Jess Keller, highlights opportunities for UN Member States and other relevant stakeholders to drive progress on these interconnected challenges. Recommendations include that the UN Security Council host thematic debates and high-level meetings on the topic; establish regular Security Council briefings led by women from climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected regions; and strengthen climate change integration in the Secretary-General’s annual reports on WPS and across WPS thematic resolutions. “Today climate change is recognized as a serious security issue,” said Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. “It is critical for the UN Security Council to focus on climate change as integral to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. We applaud Denmark’s leadership on climate change, gender equality and peace and security.”

Practical Guidance for Integrating Climate into WPS National Action Plans

The second report, titled “Practical Guidance for Integrating Climate into WPS National Action Plans” and co-authored by Climate Policy Associate Christina Vetter and Research Director Dr. Jessica Smith, explores how National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security (NAPs) can more effectively address climate-related security risks. While the share of WPS NAPs that mention climate change has slowly increased, this will not lead to transformative change without specific actions or commitments attached. The study recommends that future WPS NAPs adopt a whole-of-government approach to drafting the NAP; mainstream climate considerations across the NAP and the four pillars of WPS; and ensure accountability mechanisms through specific commitments in the implementation plan and budget.  “We hope that this policy brief offers governments the tools and best practices they need to incorporate climate change into their National Action Plans in a practical way that leads to meaningful climate-responsive WPS implementation for generations of NAPs to come,” said Vetter.  The New York release coincided with pivotal moments in the global women’s rights movement—including the 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.  The event offered an opportunity to accelerate efforts towards inclusive, gender-responsive climate security.

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